Hey guys. At the moment I work a night shift so sleep is hard to come by. I sleep 4 days in a row followed by a 28 hour stretch and then sleep 4 nights. All this back and forth is a pain I take several things but was wondering if stacking all at once is okay. Recommendations for other good sleep aids or stacks are welcome.
I take 30 mg MK-677(Ibutamoren daily which has sleep benefits. For getting to sleep I would like to stack:
1 scoop Finaflex G8 1 hour pre bed
25-50 mg diphenhydramine 30 min pre bed
10 mg time release melatonin prior to laying down. How does this sound? Fairly safe? Thanks guys.
Both these guys are spot on re: melatonin. Here's some additional info:
Melatonin is a hormone. It is not an herb, a vitamin or a mineral. Hormones are naturally produced by your body as you need them. This means that it is very unlikely that someone has a melatonin deficiency. While melatonin could be considered natural, in most cases it doesn't come from the earth. There are exceptions -- foods that contain melatonin in them -- but this is a different type of melatonin than what is produced in your brain.
Your melatonin levels can be tested with a blood test, urine test or saliva test. Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland and sends a signal to regulate the sleep-wake cycle in the sleep center of the brain. Interestingly, melatonin is also produced in the retina, the skin and the GI tract, but this is not the melatonin what affects your biological sleep clock.
This is the really important thing you should understand about melatonin: Melatonin is a sleep and body clock regulator, not a sleep initiator. Melatonin works with your biological clock by telling your brain when it is time to sleep. Melatonin does not increase your sleep drive or need for sleep.
Melatonin is called the "Vampire Hormone" because it is produced primarily in darkness and inhibited by light. The levels of your melatonin increase in the middle of the night and gradually fall as the night turns to morning, so exposure to light before bed can push your biological clock in the wrong direction, making melatonin ineffective.
Melatonin treats Circadian Rhythm Disorders (where you sleep the right amount of minutes but your body clock is at the wrong time), Shift Work Sleep Disorders and early morning awakenings -- all things that deal with the timing of your need to sleep. Melatonin is not considered an effective treatment for insomnia.
Melatonin in pill form does not function like your body's naturally produced melatonin; it effects the brain in bursts and rapidly leaves the system, instead of the slow build-up and slow wash-out that your body's naturally produced melatonin experiences.
The correct dosage of melatonin can be a problem. According to research conducted at M.I.T., the correct dosage of melatonin for it to be effective is 0.3-1.0 mg. Many commercially available forms of melatonin are in three to 10 times the amount your body would need. In fact, there is some evidence that higher doses may be less effective. In Europe, melatonin at very high doses has been used as a contraceptive.
Melatonin can have side effects. Melatonin (two to three milligrams or higher) has reported side effects of:
Headaches
Nausea
Next-day grogginess
Hormone fluctuations
Vivid dreams and nightmares
So what does all this mean if you want to try melatonin as a supplement? Melatonin has been shown to be safe in healthy people when used for up to three months at the correct dosage.
