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I haven't had more then four consecutive hours of sleep in over five weeks.

On account of not being able to get a Doctors appointment until mid October, I have been doing research on "natural sleep aids". During this research I came across not one but two potential saviors of my restless nights.


Melatonin & Valerian root

Melatonin (pfft, more like METAL-TONIN)

The production of melatonin by the human pineal gland is inhibited by light and permitted by darkness. For this reason melatonin has been called "the hormone of darkness". (how fucking metal is that?) The secretion of melatonin peaks in the middle of the night, and gradually falls during the second half of the night.



melatonin pills sold as supplements are designed to raise melatonin levels for several hours to enhance quality of sleep, some studies suggest that small doses are effective in improving sleep quality.

What was my experience?

Tuesday night I took 5mg of melatonin at about nine o'clock, twenty minutes later I was out like a light. Unfortunately three hours later I was awake again. Shit.

I spent most of Wednesday groggy and dazed whether it was a side effect of the pill or a side effect of not sleeping for more then four hours at a time for a fucking month, I don't know.


Valerian root



The root contains valerenic acid and valepotriates, two chemicals that have powerful sedative properties. In fact, a study in the European Journal of Medical Research found that valerian is comparable to Oxazepam, a medication sometimes used to treat insomnia.

Thats what the internet had to say about it, what didn't it tell me?

Well first it smells like an old gym sock, so bad it could be a good cheese. Second is that you have to take a large dose in order for it to be effective.

How large?
I took 1000mg four and half hours ago, and I'm still awake writing a blog about it with the most intense pounding headache I have ever had.


Now I am faced with a couple of choices.

Take the melatonin on top of the Valerian root and hope I don't go into a coma.
or
See if I can tucker myself out knocking one out in the shower.