For occasional help falling asleep, I've found melatonin is a great alternative to over-the-counter sleep aids. The cost is very minimal also so you're not paying a lot for the help. Effectiveness It takes a little while to work so you should take melatonin at least a half hour before bed, it not a little more. Ease of Use It comes in multiple doses so you can take as little as 1mg at a time. The pills are small so if that is an issue for you, melatonin will be easy for you to take. Immediacy You need to take melatonin at least a half hour before going to bed. Its a gradual sleep aid so you don't instantly feel like sleeping. It helps you calm down and relax to get ready to sleep. Side Effects I've never had any side effects from melatonin so I'm giving this a high rating for lack of side effects. Other sleep aids make me feel groggy the next morning so I don't really feel any better rested. I've heard of some people getting slight headaches when they wake up but they go away pretty quickly. I've never experienced that though.

keli123

USA

Melatonin has been renounced as a safe, effective, and cheap medicine to help combat insomnia. After experiencing some odd twitching, and consequently anxiety, which kept me up even more, and also an extreme sensitivity to artificial light, I decided to finally look up the known side effects of this drug. What I found shocked me, especially since I was advised by a doctor to take melatonin. I found that melatonin, even in small amounts (I was taking about 5mg every other night), can cause neurological symptoms such as seizures and light sensitivity. After stopping the use of this product, all symptoms subsided. I was shocked that NO WHERE on the label does it even mention anything about side effects or any warnings beside get consultation from a doctor, which I did! I expected a company like Spring Valley to at least include that side effects that extreme exist. I have never had a seizure before, but it does run in my family. I would not recommend taking this long term. I was taking 5mg about 3-4 times a week for over a year. Due to my ordeal, I recommend using methods such as meditation and deep breathing to help with sleep. A prescription to a low dose anti-anxiety drug would probably be safer for most people than any melatonin. Side Effects If you OR anyone in your family have any neurological conditions, do not take this.

agh38

USA

I've had sleeping problems for as long as I could remember. Everyone I know was telling me that I needed to try Melatonin. It worked great for them. Well, it did absolutely nothing for me. It had no effect at all. It didn't help me to relax, it didn't make me tired, it was like I never even took anything. I just don't see the hype in it. Effectiveness Melatonin had absolutely no effect on me at all. It did nothing for me. I've talked to so many people that had problems sleeping and told me to try it so, I did. I took it three different times and all three times, I got the same results, nothing. I did exactly as directed on the bottle each time. I took the pill twenty minutes before bed time and hours later, I was still wide awake. I know that different people take Melatonin for different things but, I wouldn't suggest it for sleeping problems. Ease of Use It was extremely easy to use. All you have to do is take a pill with a glass of water. That's not difficult at all. If it actually worked, it would be great. Immediacy There was no immediate results. There were no results at all, not even hours after talking them. It just did not work. Side Effects There were no side effects that I know of. It had no effect on me. I didn't feel any different.

kksmom504

USA

I use these because I am fearful of taking OTC meds too often. I was skeptical at first as to whether or not it would work, but they really do the trick. I get a good night's sleep, and don't wake up too groggy the next morning. They are non-habit forming and pretty natural, so I don't worry about taking them like I would some other products.

teacherguy

USA

I was going through a phase because of school that I couldn't fall asleep early enough for the next school day. I was trying plenty of sleeping products and aromatherapy, EVERYTHING you could mention. But then this natural product was recommended to me by a health professional and it's just right for me personally. It didn't seem to me that I was taking drowsy medicine where all of a sudden I was asleep out of nowhere. It made me feel like any other time that I would drift off to sleep early on a school night. I didn't experience any side effects and I still continue to use it and it works like magic.

GenieDez

USA

Spring Valley Melatonin 5 mg tablets are great for those who suffer from the occasional night of insomnia or insomnia like problems. Just take one roughly half an hour before you plan on going to bed and sleep will come easy. However, if you take them often and over a period of time they will lose effectiveness. Melatonin is something the body produces naturally and if you take too many of the pills your body just gets accustomed to those levels and the insomnia will return. Effectiveness Works great for occasional inability to sleep but can lose it's effectiveness if the pills are taken night after night for an extended period of time. Ease of Use The sleep aid is very easy to use, just take one tablet before bed. Immediacy The Melatonin pill takes roughly half an hour to start to work. Side Effects I have never noticed any side effects from taking this sleep aid, however the pills can lose effectiveness if you take one too many nights in a row.

LaurenRautio

USA

I work 3rd shift and was having extreme trouble sleeping during the daytime. My doctor prescribed sleeping pills but they didnt help me FALL asleep. thats when i went to walmart and bought this. it works wonder!!!!! takes about 30min to an hour to kick in but it really just makes you feel naturally sleepy. I dont experience any side effects and im in love with it.

jengibbs93

USA

I have a lot of trouble falling asleep at night. I found that when I first started taking this product, it helped me to fall asleep within about an hour and I slept comfortably throughout the night. After taking it regularly, however, it seemed to stop working. I tried taking more than the recommended dosage to see if that would help, but instead of helping me fall asleep faster I ended up with a kind of "hangover" from the pills that made me not want to get out of bed in the morning. I think it's a good product for occasional insomnia, but not great for long term use. Effectiveness Great for short-term use. Tends to lose it's effectiveness with regular use. You also must try to sleep when it takes effect. If you get distracted, the drowsiness will eventually wear off and you will still be awake. Immediacy Takes between an hour and an hour and a half for me to notice the effects. Side Effects Grogginess at higher doses.

JackieSchuster

USA

I have been using melatonin for the past year, it is like a miracle vitamin. I have had insomnia for years now, waking up in the middle of the night and getting probably 4 hours a night at the most. problem was I work ems and have very strange shifts, so I can't be drowsy when I wake up, and it seemed like every drug on the market did that! My mom actually recommended this to me, and now I sleep like a baby, and I wake up refreshed. ONE TIP: most people don't know this, and I don't know why the manufacturers tell you to take this much, but your body doesn't need nearly that much to produce results. I cut mine into thirds( I am a fit female,about 135) and it works perfectly. I also have noticed other benefits too that I wasn't expecting, besides the extra energy, my skin, hair, and nails look so much better, my digestive system seems better, and I have been sick less often since i started taking these. and i forgot to mention, you also don't get that weird super drowsy feeling, it kicks in about an hour after taking these, and it feels like you just "drift".

JanaMontague

USA

I have a very hard time getting to sleep. My mind never seems to rest. I have tried other sleep aides but I would wake up and feel groggy for the whole next day. A family member suggested I try Melatonin and I am so glad that I did. I take 3mg about 45 minutes before I go to bed. This does not work fast, it just seems to relax me so I am able to easily fall asleep. I never feel groggy the next day. I have asked many doctors about the safety of using this and I have always been told it is safe

leashyann

North East, PA