Any advice on Melatonin for rapid eye movement (REM) sleep?

Posted by Lorena Egas @lorena1egas, Sep 14, 2020

Hi, i am a Mayo Clinic patient. I travel from my country to Mayo Clinic once a year . I will have the polysonnogram test next week. Probably my problem is from my autoinmune condition together with my complete hysterectomy and some medications I use for inflammation. After the oxymeter they told me theres level apnea and will be test for rem sleep. After my diagnosis we will discuss options as rem sleep melatonine. Ive tríed over the years with commom melatonine and have to discontinue it bc of vivid dreams that repeat every night and that stop after i stop taking the melatonine. I would like to know people with the same side effect while on melatonine and how they overcome that situation without having to stop using melatonine. Melatonine seem to be the best option for cyrcadiam rithm & want to give it a try. Is there any option about how to take the melatonine in order to avoid this terrible side effect (vivid dreams). Thanks for your suggestions and advice

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Hi @lorena1egas, I had my overnight sleep apnea test at Rochester Mayo Clinic a couple of years ago and found out there are like you mentioned different levels of sleep apnea determined by the severity. I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea and have used a CPAP machine since being diagnosed. I've experienced vivid dreams but not too often and have never used melatonin. Mayo Clinic has some information listing melatonin as one of the medications used for treating REM sleep behavior disorder.

Mayo Clinic - REM sleep behavior disorder - Diagnosis and treatment: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rem-sleep-behavior-disorder/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352925

Here's some information on melatonin that you may find helpful that discusses how much to use - Melatonin for Sleep: Does It Work? | Johns Hopkins Medicine: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/melatonin-for-sleep-does-it-work

When you have your sleep medicine appointment, I think the questions you have would be great to discuss with the doctor. Are you able to share an update after your appointment at Mayo?

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