To Give Them Melatonin Or Not?

      Sleeping is an issue in our family, about the only person who can sleep normally is my husband. He can fall asleep mid-conversation and be totally out. Me and the kids take forever to get to bed. I have what I like to call my down time and I need about 2-3 hours of it before I can even shut my eyes. I turn on Netflix and end up watching series till about 3 in the morning! Tablet in hand the whole time checking updates and emails. My mind moves to fast when I try to settle down sometimes so much that I just get lost in thoughts. Thats why I made this blog to be honest, to just let my mind flow and get some of that out of there to be able to settle a little maybe. Melatonin works for me only if I'm already tired to begin with as soon as that first yawn comes I need to take the 10 mg pill right away or I slip into I'll fight the sleep mode. Then I end up staying up all night, and waking up with a melatonin hang over because I took it and didn't sleep.

      Dylan gets his "second-wind" and needs to jump it out of his system at least 1-2 hours a night Picture a lil' kangaroo, that's my son. Jumping on the trampoline, on the couch in his room throwing himself into the crash pad, until he eventually just crashes himself. We did have Dylan on melatonin but for him it made him tired but it also made him mad. Dyan would fight the melatonin for an hour or sometimes 2 hours, kicking, screaming, and just down right meltdown. Dylans doctor told me that Dylan needed melatonin because without he was only get 4 to 6 hours of sleep at night waking to be fully rested and I might add he never naps.They basically told me I looked like I needed rest and so I should give him the pill every night starting with 1 mg and we eventually had to work up-to 5 mg. There was this sweet spot with Dylan where it work and he fell asleep, stayed asleep 8-10 hours. I admit it was nice but it didn't last long.
      I think Dylan problem with melatonin is a sensory processing thing, he just hates the feeling of being sleepy. We are currently giving him a break from it, no one really wants to hear there son cry themselves to sleep every night. Specifically when you know its from something you are giving him and he hates it.

     Jasmine needs to prep for the next day the night before, her anxieties get bad at night. She needs to know what outfits shes wearing and if there is an event she needs to know everything is in order for that to take place or it no shut eye for her. Melatonin works well for her. She also has Nocturnal Epilepsy and her doctor told me that it has anti-seizure properties in it. To me that makes it a double bang for my buck. :)  The one problem we had with her taking it was that she would sleep so sound she wouldn't be able to get up and use the bathroom at night. So when she takes melatonin she needs to be on a anti-bed-wetting med too. Jasmine is my one child I feel like is on way too many meds. While I know she needs them because I have experienced her off of them. I'm kinda bummed we couldn't find a different way to manage her symptoms.

Well that's our experiences with it, Have you tried Melatonin?  How did it work for you?

~Jessie