Hacking Your Sleep: Melatonin Secrets for Bipolar Disorder and ADHD
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- Unlock the secrets of circadian rhythms and their impact on mental health with Dr. Tracey Marks, a psychiatrist. Discover why bipolar disorder and ADHD are profoundly affected by a disrupted body clock. Learn about clock genes, sleep patterns, and how low-dose melatonin can help regulate your internal clock. Stay informed and take control of your mental wellness
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References
Roybal, Kole et al. “Mania-like behavior induced by disruption of CLOCK.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America vol. 104,15 (2007): 6406-11. doi:10.1073/pnas.0609625104
Hastings M. (1998). The brain, circadian rhythms, and clock genes. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 317(7174), 1704-1707. doi.org/10.113...
Kooij, J. J., & Bijlenga, D. (2013). The circadian rhythm in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Current state of affairs. *Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 13*(10), 1107-1116. doi.org/10.158...
Lunsford-Avery, J. R., & Kollins, S. H. (2018). Editorial Perspective: Delayed circadian rhythm phase: A cause of late-onset attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among adolescents? *Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 59*(12), 1248-1251. doi.org/10.111...
Want to know more about mental health and self-improvement? On this channel I discuss topics such as bipolar disorder, major depression, anxiety disorders, attention deficit disorder (ADHD), relationships and personal development/self-improvement. I upload weekly. If you don’t want to miss a video, click here to subscribe. goo.gl/DFfT33
Disclaimer: All of the information on this channel is for educational purposes and not intended to be specific/personal medical advice from me to you. Watching the videos or getting answers to comments/question, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. If you have your own doctor, perhaps these videos can help prepare you for your discussion with your doctor.
Your description of the adhd sleep cycle was so validating lol
Facts hella valid and accurate
100% me since middle school at least
and I always needed to sleep after school
I have ADHD and multiple sleep disorders, and I cannot thank you enough for making this. Ever since I was a little kid I've had issues with sleep, and it's the biggest problem in my life. Thank you for explaining it and providing actionable advice on how to help!
Have you explored CBT-I (Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia)? I know this was something I found extremely helpful as I was tapering off of a sleep aide. It was a huge help.
@@NeseretBemient yes, I'm in it now 😊
@@NeseretBemient Is it the one that you do for like 6 weeks where you sleep only 6h a night?
Oh, me too! I can remember being awake all night, watching the sun rise, and wondering how I was going to get through my school day. That would have been almost 60 years ago!
U don’t post anymore we missed you
OMG, YOUR SOLUTION WORKED! I didn't even realize that my issue was my body's inability to engage in the sleep shutdown. Got liquid melatonin and have been taking .02-4 mg around 7-8. Now my body is tired about 10-11 instead of 2-4am. You are a Godsent and gave me a key to getting my health back. THANK YOU!!!
You can also use sleep restrictive therapy to start titrating your sleep window and that could be helpful.
Oh, I’m so happy to hear. Thanks for sharing.
@@DrTraceyMarksisn’t harmful to be dependent on it?
@@100uand100meof course
@@100uand100me melatonin is something out bodies produce naturally, and the only reasons we're being thrown off of natural rhythms is because of manmade activities, stressors, and influences. We're also"dependent" on food, water, oxygen, and nutrients. Supplementing with low dose melatonin as presented is helping our body do what it's supposed to.
Thank you for this.
My wife was diagnosed in the last week with BP1
Like a light switch she lost all romantic feelings towards me & wants a divorce from a what will be a 13 year relationship (in 1 week)
Trying to help both of us learn more about sleep & things that can help her while I pray her new meds continue helping things & our marriage isn’t really over.
It’s already slowed the delusions but it’s horribly difficult to remain hopeful. She still wakes up after 60-90 minutes after sleeping & I worry it might slow down her healing process.
Still waiting to get her setup with individual therapy & a psychiatrist. Things are backed up here.
If it’s anyones thing, please pray for us. It’s terrifying watching a woman I’ve known & loved for 13 years nearly completely disappear with no idea if she’ll ever return.
So sorry you are going through this with your wife. She needs to get on meds for BP1 and always stay on them. I speak from 20 years of experience with my father having BP1 and trying to help him as he is single. In the mania phase he was out of control and I couldn't get him to take his meds, then in depression he only wanted to sleep 24 hours a day and it was a different struggle to help him, but I was able to get meds in him. Now that he is 84 and has slowed way down, he is stable on meds and has not had an episode in 3years. It sounds like your wife is in the mania state of mind and she will make very risky decisions, which will not make sense to you. She may be this way for months. You will know when her mental state changes, she may be normal or go into depression. The cycle keeps repeating if she does not get on meds and stay on them.
@@brendareed5050
Thanks for the insights. looking back I can see certain patterns & mood jumping that makes sense, but never anything like this, depressive or manic. Hit her late.. mid 30s.
Dec 20 was the beginning of a severe mania with delusions. On meds since around Jan 1st & at increased dose the last week.
Luckily she disliked higher levels of mania & losing control, but doesn’t believe she’s now hypomanic. She’s writing a book on mental health & never wrote or read large texts the last 10 years.
Repeats daily she knows she has to stay on meds the rest of her life & is 100% committed to it. No drug, tobacco, or alcohol use the last 10+ years.
Entire immediate family had psychiatric hospitalizations the last 3 yrs & only 1 is med compliant.
The complicating factor is her mania presents as a hyper calming level of inner peace where everything in her world (past, present, future, past lives ) makes sense, largely because of the twin flame ideology where she “fell in love” with her counselor. She knows it sounds crazy but believes it was a philosophical & religious awakening.
She’s defensive when I try to bring it up in any medical session & is very protective of it. Talks circles to minimize it. (She wasn’t really in love… it was a philosophical connection)
It’s like she went back in time to around 18 to 21 years old & completely reverted to all her prior interests in music & movies.
At the end of the day, I think she’ll stay on meds, but I believe more everyday our marriage is over. She repeats all day, every day she’s either meant to be with him or alone & she’d be happier alone. Admits if he showed up at our door after she recommitted to our marriage, she’d leave with him in an instant.
It’s like she’s doing the items of reference thing the Dr mentioned in other videos, where every memory that pops into her mind about us & every time I can’t see the soul connection she does with him, it leads her to a preset conclusion she’s really been lying to herself & me & has been miserable since at least 2017, the yr after we were married. Suddenly she’s been resentful of me for years & my behaviors are grating.
Even without delusions, her mind created a system I can’t break through no matter how hard I try & since it’s a religious/philosophical thing I think therapy likely won’t touch it.
It’s heartbreaking… I feel the only thing I can do is stick by her the next 2-ish months she agreed to give me to get stable on meds & possibly attend marriage counseling.
In the meantime I’ll try my best to enjoy every moment I can with my wife (even the newer, often meaner version) knowing it’s probably going to end with her filing divorce paperwork… ironically within days of our wedding anniversary in early April.
2 days will be 13 years since we started dating. It’s absolutely baffling & devastating how quickly someone can completely disappear in front of you & become unrecognizable.
No idea what to do, but I don’t think there’s anything I can do beyond be a transactional support system.
If it means anything, she did “come back” out around 90% of the way on Christmas morning for a few hours, apologized & said she loved me & needed medical support soon, then started talking about her counselor… & like a freefall was gone within 3 minutes of talking about him back into full mania.
Emotionally I haven’t seen her again since.
I deeply apologize this is so long.
I’m reading on BP mania & how it can present.
I haven’t seen anything like this, so although my wife & I are usually very private about our personal lives, I feel leaving these comments in places like this, where people may look for support might help someone feel less isolated & crazy themselves.
She may benefit from inpatient care to help get her meds straightened out. Sleep is really the most important thing but sleep meds can be tricky. They gave me one that just made me flat out crazy until it wore off so it’s best to try these things while medically supervised. It will also keep her safe from making rash decisions like planning to abandon her marriage. It’s also a good way to get in with a psychiatrist, wait lists magically disappear when you’ve been hospitalized. I was told a minimum of three months but while in the hospital they scheduled me for a few days after release.
@@andrewoats Luckily she gets a psychiatrist in just over 2wks. She was fast-tracked & was just discharged from a mental health hospital.
She was hospitalized from the ER & released 5 days later. She masks well & tends to not directly discuss things she knows sounds off to others, (new theorem to approach mental health, she’s “hacked bipolar” & will write a book about her human algorithm, do public speaking events & can telepathically communicate with a twin flame & feel their presence when manic etc) only when she’s fully manic does she lose control of her ability to mask.
I’m just hoping the meds work more with time & she doesn’t cut me off from speaking to her Drs again. She refused to let me know where she was for 3 days when she was hospitalized. I’d never gone more than 6-12 hours without talking to her for 13 years. Only had the clothes she was wearing & was still that angry at me. Her counselor recommended the ER, not me. I didn’t know where the line for medical emergency was.
Just trying to make the best of a horrible situation. The emotional blackout towards me is really intense. Hoping she can sleep consistently soon. Regular dose melatonin didn’t tend to do much.
At least the delusions aren’t getting worse everyday like they were before, so her meds are doing something. It’s only been just over 2wks & her NP said it could take 8wks… really close to her 3 month deadline to leave the marriage & live alone.
At this point I just want her stable so she has a chance of maintaining it on her own if that makes sense.
I can’t stress enough to know your family medical history. We had no idea anyone beyond her dad had a mental breakdown. This would’ve been caught much earlier if we’d known.
I’m 23 years old and after following the advice in this video since the day it came out, I’ve been able to wake up between 8-10am consistently for the first time in my entire life. Sometimes even before my alarm which is absolutely crazy to me! Ever since I started working and going to college from home for the past couple years, I needed several alarms to wake up at 1pm. Even tried klonopin, zolpidem, and standard melatonin doses which didn’t work. It makes me feel so grateful that this little hack worked I want to cry tears of joy. I can’t believe this is how “normal” people experience life and I was just able to have the same luxury. Thank you so much. I still struggle some days and my schedule still gets messed up but it’s so much easier to mitigate now.
You mention a genetic component: is there any possibility that some humans are simply nocturnal - as an evolutionarily driven genetic variation? Since childhood, I’ve always been far more alert and clear-headed at night, and have struggled my entire life to keep a “day-dweller’s” schedule. Left to my own inclinations (with no demands placed upon me) I always find myself staying up until about 10am and waking up around 6pm.
My early memories from childhood, I’m standing in my toddler bed at 12am, everyone is sleeping, I’m bored and wide awake
I wonder about this too; it seems for me like my peak mental efficiency is usually 10pm if left to my own devices. That's when I can get work or studying done the best. Many times in college and nowadays, I go through these nighttime periods where my body is tired but my mind is wide awake, where I feel productive but I don't want to leave bed for the sake of the next morning's tasks.
Thank you for leaving this comment, been wondering about if some humans are just more nocturnal than others. Usually I start getting sleepy at 6am and wake up around 2pm, but my clock moves a couple of hours when we transform into Winter. Right now I go to bed between 8-9am and wake up between 3-4pm. I can fall asleep on the couch at 2am watching netflix if I want to, but I just think that's waste of precious time. If I try to get into bed at a moment I'm falling asleep on the couch, I'll be staring at the ceiling the entire night! I love the night time, but I'm missing important dates and appointments which is taking a huge toll on my mental health. Sometimes I catch myself fantasizing about a world where we have 24/7 services (doctors, grocery shops, salons, etc.), wouldn't that be practicle for nocturnals to participate in society? 🤭
Good question. Genetics is akin to evolution. Humans functioning in the dark is pretty difficult without the aid of electricity or a full moon. Some animals (like dogs) have a mirror in the back of their eye that reflects light, allowing for improved night vision. Humans running around at night would likely have been easy prey, thusly nocturnal genes are unlikely to have been selected for.
Rapid evolution occuring in the past few generations could be considered. But in a world of artificial light sources - calling 3am computer use "nocturnal behavior" might be a hard sell, as we're effectively altering what our brain thinks night time is through artificial stimulus.
I also perceive myself to function above normal after midnight.
I wondered this myself but came to the conclusion that i am most clear-headed at night because there are the least sounds and other sensoric issues at night, and thats why i can focus best then. The joys of living in a city with traffic and direct neighbours.
Also to much blue light before bed, to few time in the morning light and the body gets used to being awake at late night if you do it often enough, so more learned behaviour than genes.
But all in all it might be a mix of genes, learned behaviour, hormones and mental health disorders.
I'm in the ADHD camp. It is a real struggle.
You just don’t know how much I need this,
I have ADHD ASD and a comorbid sleep disorder because of it.
I have delayed phase and polyphasic. I wake up multiple time through the night.
My partner and I are fairly certain we're both undiagnosed ASD, and we both struggle with a sleep schedule but she's definitely got the worse of the sleep issues.
Depressive episodes seem to send those symptoms through the roof for us and it's been a rough couple years.
I shifted from a 7p-2/3a sleep schedule and now I'm desperately trying to claw my way out of the current 5a-12p sleep schedule. DST is kicking up my seasonal affective disorder really hard this year and between that and losing my most recent and favorite job due to poor mental health, my sleep schedule is messed up worse than a soup sandwich.
Today was the first day in 4 weeks that I managed to get up before 8a and it's a huge win that I'm really trying to keep up
My 14 year old w ADHD and ASD wakes up thru the night as well especially full moon weeks . Hang in there u may never have the "normal" sleep patterns but find what works for you and don't worry about what everyone else says. I know schools, work and businesses aren't as flexible with times but one day I think it will be addressed and solutions can be found.
Love love love this so so much.🥰 Thank you for explaining the body clock dysregulation in ADHD. Even if this is a thing I have dealt with for the most of my life it is just so cool to hear it broken down like this.🥰
For the longest time I thought I was simply lazy and not as competent as my peers, but this wonderful woman has fundamentally altered my understanding of my brain, my behaviour, and is ultimately changing my life. Thank you for unlocking our potential ❤️
I’ve been taking children’s melatonin for a while now after my therapist recommended it. He specified a “children’s” dose for the exact reasons you mention here, and because if I can consciously notice that I’m tired, I will get in bed and go to sleep without issue. I’ve observed that my particular brand of delayed sleep onset isn’t a lack of tiredness, it’s more like an ADHD interroception issue: I won’t notice that I’m tired until it’s 3am and my body is shutting itself down. If I can simply notice that I am tired, I will usually go to bed. Creating a routine that I actually want to do also helped a lot. After I eat and walk the dog, I take low dose melatonin and create a cozy evening environment (I lower the lights, put on Sleepy Bookshelf podcast, make my bed so it feels good to get in, and light a candle so it smells nice and I associate the smell with going to bed). I also take magnesium glycinate in the evenings.
I’ve noticed that if I take more than .5mg of melatonin, I struggle to wake up the next morning, even more than my typical ADHD struggles either waking up.
I'm happiest when I have an almost ritualized respect for the time of day. It's too bad there's not more respect for the person in our society.
Thank you very much, seriously. I thought melatonin was never going to be an option again. The next day after taking it, I felt not only sleepy but also confused. I would have never thought that a 0.3 mg dose would be effective, but it is, and no side effects in the morning
I like how she uses words like "could, should, may" when describing symptoms of a mental disorder.
I love that about them too. We are all different and have different symptoms and experiences.
I want to also point out that a thyroid problem could also disrupt sleep. I recently found out my thyroid is irregular and I dip in and out of hypo/hyperthyroidism. It's having a major impact on my life, including my sleep health. I'm having to take supplements for certain vitamins and minerals because my thyroid is inhibiting my body's ability to produce and absorb them, namely vitamin D and iron. These two deficiencies can affect sleep and blood oxygen levels.
Anyway, I know you can't cover every single possibility and I just wanted to share my recent experience in case it helps somebody else. It's been mind blowing to connect the dots from my thyroid to all these health issues that have popped up for me.
Thank you for your videos, Dr. Tracey.❤
Thyroid disorders are very serious and can impact many aspects of your functioning. The thyroid hormone is a master hormone involved in every cell in our body.
I was diagnosed with hypothyroid when I was 30 years old. I share some of my experiences including some of the resulting psychiatric symptoms I experienced on my TH-cam channel.
I was also at the same time diagnosed with depression and medicated for the same. It was a huge mistake and an absolute nightmare. I also had a toxicity to Synthroid, which I believe triggered a bipolar type illness. Synthroid also never controlled my hypothyroid symptoms.
How are you doing these days? What types of treatment are you getting?
Holy Moly! 😮 I'm 64 years old and I've had these symptoms of ADHD Sleep Alterations since I was a kid. I've struggled my entire adult life like this. Luckily, I'm now retired but I still struggle but I don't have to wake up at any certain time. However, when I have a bad stretch of sleep deprivation, I always feel bad because I can't be as productive during the day as I feel I should be. Here it is 1:30am & I'm not sleeping. This is interesting stuff! I love Dr. Marks! 🤗
Adhd/bp2 here. Ive never considered taking low doses of melatonin before. Anything above 6.25mg gives me over-lucid dreams that i wake up from, and when i fall back asleep the dream picks right back up til i wake up again. Its weird and i didnt expect that 'side effect' from it! But id be willing to try a low dose like youre saying. Im usually up til 4-5am.
Thank you!! Having bipolar and ADHD I've been struggling for years with sleep because my body naturally wakes at 6am, but I could never get my mind to shut down and my body would want to keep moving. This has helped me understand better what has been going on.
I have ADHD and Asperger’s, I do not want to go to sleep because well…. it’s boring!!! So frustrating. I’m majorly impacted by this. I don’t want to go to sleep, lol. I’m on Clonidine and it’s great but I still have issues. I hate being awake early in the morning because it’s so bright outside, it makes my sensory issues very bad, so I don’t want to come alive until night. And I love night as less people and socializing are required. I wish there was some miracle for neurodivergent “insomnia” :/
I have never understood why my sleep pattern could never get back into place, no matter how much I tried 😩😩 at first it was cool until it started really affecting my work and was creating shame in my discipline and responsibilities!!! Thank you SO much for explaining this. As a late dx ADHD woman, this is so comforting to know 🥺🥺 love this channel!!
I have BOTH of these disorders! Sleep is crucial.
Anyone else an adult with ADHD watching this at 10pm and need to wake up in the morning 👀
At 1am with work in the morning ...
At 11pm thinking, damn I’ll have to start tomorrow
ADHD and bipolar. It's 4:30AM and I work at 8 🫠
I'm watching it the morning after but yes
Watching at 1.20am. 😏
I think because I started going through puberty at an early age (for a male at least), my hormones have been out of control for a long time. I developed severe despression a few years after and it hasn't really gotten better. I've always struggled with maintaining a healthy sleeping pattern and my mental health was always best when I had better quality sleep (not necessarily more sleep), since I had more energy to work out every day and was more motivated to go out and get healthy food to eat instead of scoffing down junk.
Thank you for this awesome video. I've always wanted to try melatonin, but didn't realise that I needed to consider these points before taking it. I didn't want to Google how to use it either.
I've tried melatonin before after so many people told me how great it was and I wouldn't feel anything the next day. Every time I took it it knocked me on my butt for a day or two. I love this video because now I understand why it didn't work for me. I've had sleep issues my whole life and have given so much bad advice, and had to deal with people acting like it's a choice for me and just bad habits because they have no issue with sleep. It's not a choice and it's not poor discipline. I have ADHD and thyroid problems.
Everyone reacts differently to medications. Likewise melatonin not only knocked me out but it also made me feel depressed.
It can be so frustrating not to get quality sleep and it impacts every area of our life - mood, energy, cognitive function and so much more.
I used CBTI - cognitive behavioral therapy for sleep and sleep restrictive therapy and now sleep really well.
I think the most annoying part is that I’ve tried everything I could and I’ve discovered that even when I get 8-10 hours of sleep I will still be exhausted… because our brains don’t get the same level of sleep, it dowsnt shut down as deeply, and therefore our metabolism doesn’t slow down the same way, meaning we keep using our energy all night… we don’t even get to feel well rested when we sleep the amount we’re supposed to
My therapist described the function of melatonin like Dr. Marks does here and was very clear that it does not work like a sleeping pill. I’ve noticed that a lot of people take it like it’s a magic, instant sleep pill (and thus take high doses to get that effect) but that’s just not how our brains use it. I even know someone who takes 10mg every time he wakes up at night and I was like 😮
@LMB925 Oof, I so relate to this "...people acting like it's a choice for me and just bad habits because they have no issue with sleep." True of so many things with ADHD! I consulted a sleep specialist and learned that (like melatonin in the wrong dose/timing) another common bit of advice was actually HARMING my ability to sleep. Apparently getting up early and getting outside in daylight (or using a light box too early) can push your bedtime LATER if you make the change too abruptly from staying up very late! I was so misled!
He actually recommended that I wear a hat and sunglasses on my drive to work as I worked to **gradually** move my bedtime earlier. 😄😎
I found out by chance that being outside as dusk falls releases melatonin naturally, which has been a great justification for taking time to watch more sunsets! 😀
It sucks to have to work so diligently at something other people take for granted, but I'm grateful that I at least have better tools now!
Good luck to you and all of us! 😴😃
@@bellaluce7088 That's some good advice you were give by the sleep specialist. Thanks for sharing it. I hadn't heard about being out at dusk. I'll have to try that one for sure. I'm so off right now and really struggling. It's going to be so much worse with the time change coming up. LOL
It's perfect this video came up in my feed! I have Bipolar II and ADHD and for the past 6 months I've been getting 1-3 hours of sleep per night which is making it so difficult to function, and all my life I've usually gotten 4-7 hours... NyQuil, Zzzquil, trazadone, and low-dose quetiapine do absolutely nothing, neither does excercise or other lifestyle changes :( I will have to try this, I've never thought to try low doses of melatonin. Thank you for all you do!
ugh, adhd here with SUPER BAD SLEEP ISSUES and i wish i could take melatonin- every dose i take gives me the worst nightmares i've ever experienced.
My sleep and wakefulness timer doesn't work normally, I am usually able to fall asleep at a reasonable time, but it rarely lines up with when I am actually tired.
Additionally, caffeine doesn't significantly affect my ability to fall asleep because I normally don't feel sleepy when I go to bed, and I am not a daily caffeine user either.
When I was actually put on medication for ADHD, my sleep and wakefulness cycle actually improved a bit.
Thank you for this, dr. I suffer from both disorders and sleep issues have been my number 1 issue since childhood has been SLEEP!
Your videos are very impressive and they really cut through a lot of the noise. I struggled with higher dosages of melatonin and needed that information that .3 mg 4 hours before is a good idea. Thank you for your work!
This is also true for many who have autism including my adult daughter. Thanks for the great video.
I’ve had a sleeping disorder since I was a child. I’m on the very low spectrum of bipolar 2. I cannot turn my mind off. I take a lot of medication to sleep and a lot of times they don’t work. I’m pretty much in a depression all the time. I take diazepam and 75mg of mirtazapine at night. I also take at day time well during. I just re started taking melatonin it’s helping me better at falling asleep better but if I’m anxious about something that still doesn’t work.
I’m at my wits end. Cannot take naps either & I have to sleep alone with a fan on for white noise.
Thank you so much! After seeing your other video about melatonin I looked for the smallest dose I could find and found 1mg tablets. I’ll check the brand you mentioned and get a pill splitter for the 1mg that I have. I have both ADHD and bipolar but my sleep symptoms are closer to your description of ADHD.
The question I have is why these people dislike it when you are sleeping or want to sleep and sometimes purposely keep others awake. I get it when people can’t sleep as I have trouble with that, too, but I consider others and the fact that they’re sleeping and not disturb them,
Oh my gosh yes, that “second wind”!
Yes with ADHD there are lots of winds. You discover a new illness (comorbidity) everyday.
Thank you Dr marks. That is the best I've heard it explained yet, and it validates what I've been trying to explain to some other people who hold my offset against me. It is good to know that the offset is adjustable with the right coaxing. Would you have any other advice for people who work swing shifts or can't set a regular sleep pattern?
I worked shift work as a psychiatric RN for years. According to the Journal of Preventative Medicine, shift work will decrease your lifespan by 10 years. For those years when I was working shiftwork, I just made sure I got extra sleep as I needed it. I noticed the sleep I got after a night shift, sleeping during the day is not the same quality as night time sleep.
Also, make sure you take care of every other area of your life - reduce stress as much as possible, exercise, eat well, get massages, meditate. Just do everything you can to maximize/optimize all other areas of your life. It doesn't mean it is going to make up for loss of sleep but it will allow you to cope better.
You can also do sleep restrictive therapy and CBTI - cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. I found that to be extremely helpful.
Thank you so much for your videos. I recently discovered your channel and it has been so helpful and informative
Oh i have both of those. Bipolar 2 and ADHD like spectrum level severe.
First off im not currently on Adderall. I miss it but there were several reasons im currently not taking it but severeal benefits....buggest benefit being sleep and diabetes. I wouldnt have known i wasand had been diabetic at LEAST for ten years and second how important sleep is for me and how badly Adderall affects it
Currently adderall is still on pause until the following issues are completely adjusted and thats coming up on soon.
ahh it makes sense ive been taking the 10mg melatonin foolishly thinking that getting to sleep was the most important thing. Honest mistake. Thanks for correcting me dr tracy. Your videos help us all
tracey*
Your videos are so informative, easy to understand, and engaging. You have a new subscriber.
When taking low does Melatonin, can this be taken for a long period or isit advisable to stop after a period of time to prevent dependency?
I have ADHD and just took my first melatonin. Damn i didn't know I could get sleepy so easily, good night and thank you! *satisfied yawn*
I have ADHD and when it was, at it s worst.
I sleept 2 hours a day, and i never sleept 2 hours in one go, no 20 min s at a time.
But i did work 40 hours a day. It went on for 1 year, then i got diagnose
This video describes biphasic sleep, which is the pattern of sleep with afternoon naps and shorter nighttime sleeping periods.
I function very well with biphasic sleep and have sought it out as a lifestyle solution in the past for an odd hours job. It worked very well and my functioning was greater.
I don't believe humans are designed to sleep for large blocks of time, and only have done so since the Industrial Revolution. Also, not everyone sleeps at night naturally and again only are forced to do so in the capitalistic modern era.
While it's very helpful to learn how to hack your brain with chemicals to work better in the modern 9-5 work era, I feel that ignoring the reality that we are not all built the same is erasure. People are different and their struggles are valid.
Thank you for stating this. I have ADHD and Major Depression Disorder. I was hospitalized in November. I realized I have been doing things the way I have been taught instead of what comes naturally. Why should we fight against our natural states instead of working with ourselves. I believe there are morning sleepers, night sleepers, and ppl who need 2 periods of rest and awake. You just confirmed this belief. Thank you 😊
In addition: I'm a salaried employee with customers all over the US. Working 9 to 5 means I lose important hours with customers on each coast because I'm CST. I return to work on Tuesday and I'm going to try working from 7 am until 11 am, take an extended break from 11 am until 2:30, and then work from 2:30 until 6 or 7 pm. What do you think about this? I'd love your advice.
Having both diagnoses and about to enter a pretty competitive workforce for the first time in my life later this year, I’ve known something is bothering me all along and it’s not going to be easy. This information is so helpful and validating. I was blamed for my sleep discipline my whole life and got diagnosed with ADHD as an adult after treating my mood didn’t improve my grades as much as it should. Thank you doctor for what you do 😊
How is your sleep these days?
I am diagnosed adhd and I have never had a problem sleeping. Not even when taking aderall
My partner is diagnosed with ADHD and bipolar 2. They are struggling severely with sleep right now during a multi-month mixed manic episode, but strangely never seem to experience the "increased energy" part. They have trouble falling and staying asleep, getting maybe 2-4 hours, but still feel depressed and exhausted the next day. Is this considered outside the expected behavior for this disorder? 🤔
EDIT: Ohhh, after continuing the video, maybe the sleep issues aren't even mania, maybe it's the ADHD not working well with the depressive part of the episode. We will ask the doctor next time.
💯🎯Bingo! I also have BP2 and ADHD. Lately, with the med shortages on EVERYTHING, I've been off stimulants for 14 weeks. I go to sleep, then wake up in a couple of hours, and can't return to sleep. I think you're correct about the BP & ADHD, as I'm pretty sure that applies to me. IMO, you can't separate bipolar and ADHD. The overlap is nearly identical to the symptoms for both. That's why professionals (mostly the usual ignorant ones) mistake one for the other. They don't know you can have more than one condition with ADHD. I'm trying .5 mg melatonin along with Ambien. Seemed to do the trick. What works for me, doesn't necessarily work for others, so experimentation, along with a trusted doctor is the way to go.
I am thanking you even before I wacth the video because i already know the video is gonna have great information, thank you Dr. Tracey Marks
As someone who does have ADHD (along with Autism and Generalised Anxiety) I usually keep Melatonin along with my pills.
Although, since I live in Denmark, Melatonin isn’t an over-the-counter thing, it requires a prescription.
Mine is for 3mg. and when I take it I usually do so around an hour or so before I intend to go to bed.
Although I have also noticed that sometimes it does result in me struggling to wake/get up the next morning.
Strangely, and perhaps ironically, tho, sometimes when I have to take 2 pills, I actually have a lot easier time getting up in the morning than when I’ve taken just one.
Though that isn’t always the case.
But it is something I always take into consideration when I take my melatonin.
I can down a handful of Melatonin and it'll do nothing for me. I just have to time going to sleep like after I crash for the day
Thanks for advice about sleep. I'm changing to a 1st shift job from 2nd/3rd shift hybrid job.
I was experiencing symptoms described in your "self isolation" video from inflammation caused by sleep disturbances. My brain fog and forgetfulness was getting very concerning. Thanks so much for the warnings how my brain was being affected.
This new job has another advantage that I can go to back to school and work a full-time on the weekend. Thanks so much!!
I gave up shift work a few years back. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made for my health and sanity.
I was working as a psychiatric RN at the time for 15 years and I was burning out every 3-4 years. According to the journal of preventative medicine shift work takes 10 years out of your lifespan.
That is precious time you'll never get back. It's just not worth it.
My body loves the anchor of consistent bedtime routine now. My sleep is so much better and I feel energized during the day. I share my experienced on my TH-cam channel as I started my own business and how support others in implementing holistic lifestyle interventions and a major one is proper sleep.
Very interesting. Only thing is when ‘testing laboratory was mentioned, i was reminded about vivisection (the use of precious animals in cruel & many times pointless & repetitive experiments) 😢
The use of melatonin, dosage & the fact that children are prescribed yet another brain altering drug is alarming).
All the same this is a very informative video 🧐
If I remember correctly, I was referring to ConsumerLabs, where they test the chemical makeup of drugs. They don't test on animals or people. But to your point, I don't like to think about all the labs that are using animals for experiments. I know it happens, I just have to block it out my mind.
Yes my daughter has adhd and sleep is not easy for her. Its wild. I didnt get a full night rest til she was 4 and that was sporadic. When she went to school sleeping got better but its still a struggle.
7:05 I have GAD with depression, but I've had disrupted sleep since my adolescence. This part here explains my bad experiences with Melatonin supplements in the past.
Best to talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking melatonin if you take other medications. I have delayed circadian rhythm and ADHD. I cannot take melatonin because it negatively interacts with my immune-suppression meds that I need to keep me alive. I found, with help of my sleep specialist, tips and tricks that help me with sleep without taking any pills instead.
What drug are you referring to please?
You are correct; Melatonin boosts immune response in healthy people. Which is good for them, bad for you.
Nice info. But for how long should I take low dose?
I mean: how long till reset my clock?
Thanks
PTSD and maybe/maybe not ADHD here. Due to my fragmented sleep, nightmares and flashbacks, there was zero chance to wake up refreshed. Since my PTSD became so pronounced, my day is usually only around 4-6 good hours before I can't add 0+0. My body clock is usually pretty stable. I started taking 2-3 mg quick release + slow release melatonin around three hours before bed, not to make me sleepy, but to help make up for the melatonin I might be missing due to fragmented sleep. I decided on that dose because melatonin signals other processes to begin, and if I'm not producing enough, these processes aren't happening. The idea of the glymphatic system not working well scares me to death, honestly. During times of higher stress I take 6 mg. If I wake up lethargic, I drop the dose down.
Time-release Melatonin for adults over 50 in particular has proven benefits.
Yeah, I've been diagnosed with both of these, so I do feel all these symptoms, as she describes, but I have hypomania. As I get older, I find I'm more bipolar than depressed.
Well… Bipolar is a depressive disorder first. It was previously called manic depressive disorder. So you are not more bipolar, you are may just be realizing more of the bipolar traits, which is common. There are doctors out there that do not recognize this and they will try to treat the depression only. However, certain medications (that are for only depression) can actually trigger certain bipolar symptoms to be worse, cause hyper/hypo-mania, and anxiety.
So when you are depressed it is an episode, not a separate condition.
God bless you doctor
ADHD here, I'm watching this wide awake at 12:35am when I have to be up in six hours. This hits hard!
Unfortunately here in my country melatonin isn't available OTC so I'd need to speak to my doc about it.
You can also learn more about CBTI (Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia). I found that to be extremely helpful. There are also some natural herbs and tea that can help with sleep temporarily.
Sleepy time tea actually helps get the extra strong one drink around 9 be out by 1030
8:47 lol the subtitles saying "zombies" instead of the brand name "zarbees". So ironical!
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Very interesting , never considered micro dosing melatonin. Question though, Wouldn't the time you take the low dose melatonin onset depend on the metabolism of the individual? 4 Hours before bed sounds wayyy to early for me as my body processes chemicals very quickly
You're very self aware and listen to your body. Everyone reacts differently to every medication. These things are suppose to be general guidelines and should not be taken as advice for everyone. You are the expert in your body and yes your body will give you excellent feedback if you're willing to listen.
Well said, that makes sense : ]@@NeseretBemient
Thank you for the explanation . It helps me to understand.
Taking melatonin makes me hallucinate =\ it is like my brain starts dreaming before I fall asleep.
Using timed lights to dim my house slowly (mimicking sunset inside) seems to help cue my brain pretty well though.
Are there more studies and evidences regarding delayed circadian rhythm and autism? I have ASD, plus depression and anxiety. Melatonin, combined with the other meds, it’s helping me a lot.
There are tons. The problem is the consistency of routine and the use of non-pharmacological treatments that give the most benefit require the executive functioning skills and self-scheduling that are tough for people w/ASD and major depression to optimize. They tend to get drugs instead, and often struggle to take those consistently.
Its funny as i am watching this video at 3am. Ive been awake for 1.5 hours after only getting 1.5 hours sleep. Im either tired all the time or can barely sleep. I have BPD 2 and ADHD so its hard to stop my brain from constantly going. Especially if I happen to wake up in the middle of the night. I do rather the up and awake over the down and out of my depressed side. But its like a seasaw that never balances out completely. It just seems to gently rocking back and forth, to being a seasaw cought in a hurricane. Good fun.
I have both disorders 🥹
I'm 40 but I most be a teen because I still struggle in falling asleep every single day with my ADHD
I finally admitted i am bipolar cause mania isnt always high or happy or anything thats like being high on cocaine?ike they know mania in movies.
Irritability is a majoy misunderstood aspect of mania thats actually the real problematic issue for me.
Yeah. Silly me ha ha me not know, now me do.
Since daylight savings my sleep schedule shifted to 5 a.m. to 12 p.m. That made me feel depressed and unproductive. I now view sleep like exercise, I need to be consistent and keep my clock on track with effort. Melatonin 3mg has helped, it makes me feel drowsy within 30 min, but it doesn't stop my negative ruminations.
it definitely is like exercise! and waaaay too important to skimp out on. kudos to you, keep it up! 🎉⚡
This is wild because the same thing happened to me with DST. I've done electrical work for a few years and was used to a 6a-4p work schedule.
Lost my job this year and depression has been kicking me up and down the block.
I shifted from a 7-8p to 3-4a sleep schedule to a 4-7a to 10a-12p schedule, and it's been giving me fits also. Clawing my way back to my previous schedule is an ongoing nightmare, I gotta get back to work but I gotta be able to show up on time first😢
Full spectrum CBD oil has helped me a lot with my negative loop thoughts and rumination. I'll have to try the melatonin, I completely forgot it existed😅😅😅
Lazarus Naturals is the site I buy my CBD oil from. If you happen to be on Medicare or disability, or are a veteran, they offer up to a 60% discount if memory serves.
Their CBD+CBG+CBN sleep blend was helping but I ran out and it's out of my range till I get another job😅
Addy: pleas consider getting CBT-i or Trans-C sleep therapy.
@@Cathy-xi8cb
What are those?
Melatonin can chemically cause depression. Only take it in emergency situations only. I used to take it and others I know used to take it and it caused of all to become unnaturally depressed. Chammomile and Lavender tea or use of lotion that has Chammomile and Lavender in it helps. Sleep soundtracks on TH-cam can help one sleep as well. Turning off anything that stimulates you can also help.
Thank you,Dr.Marks. Your presence alone is healing. I feel understood, informed and nurtured towards trying solutions again. Most have failed. No combination has helped. I watched your adhd offerings here and will re-visit them several times…your clarity gives me hope. So, I will try again. Thank you. I hope that your life is filled with love, peace and blessing.
Good presentation 👍👍
Informative video ♥
At this rate, my pineal gland doesn't exist.
Thank you for this
I have the double whammy of both bipolar and ADHD. I've had chronic insomnia since I was 16, I'm 33 now. I usually average 3-4 hours a night but currently it's 8:30am on Sunday in Australia, and I haven't slept since Friday night 😮💨 when this happens (which is pretty regularly) I just push through and don't sleep until the following night. It sucks because I start hallucinating and stuff. I have 2mg melatonin tablets waiting to be delivered, I'm going to try your method by only having the tiniest bit. If it works, you're a life saver!
Did it work?
@@jameszhere07 it didn't work for me, I think my insomnia is too severe. But I've managed to sleep 5 or 6 hours most nights if i get up at 4:30am before work and go to the gym, then take 3mg at night a few hours before I wanna sleep. I've had a couple of insomnia episodes since, but 95% of the time I've been able to sleep by 11-11:30 by doing this!
@@sweetusagi I'm just relying on weed...but it's starting to take it's toll on me...
@@jameszhere07 ahhh i see, it's great for sleep but unfortunately I can't smoke weed, it gives me psychosis 😢 I do miss it though. Give melatonin a try!
I found going to bed after getting off work( like in the bed at around 5pm lol ) is the only way i somewhat get some sleep. sucks but I just do what i was going at about 3am instead of midnight :)
Melatonin makes the stupidest dreams more intense for me 🙄 and it's always dreams which already fucked me up years ago, I'm bored 😭 I wanna dream something new
Thank you❤
I've tried melatonin a couple times. Once about 20 years ago and, at the recommendation of a therapist, again about 3 years ago. Both times it threw me into depressive states, the more recent time extremely so. Maybe the dose was too high (I don't recall what it was, probably 3 or 5mg.) but now I don't think I'll go near it again.
Something not mentioned here is that melatonin is prescription only in most countries. The USA is an outlier in that it's over the counter.
Dr. Marks, you are a Godsend. Thank you. I love your videos. I’ve learned so much and they’ve helped me immensely. Thank you.
So do you need to continue taking low-dose melatonin four hours before bed in order to maintain these changes once you have reset your body clock? Or is it only recommended as a temporary fix?
She says toward the end that your clock resets daily. It's temporary
Dr. Tracey Marks & Dr. Berg collab
Hi! Just wanted to ask if you see this, I have inattentive adhd, and you described my exact sleep issues. Except for the napping part. All my life (since a toddler maybe) I’ve never been able to have a nap during the day time. It’s impossible for me. Is there nothing I can do about it, like are some people just wired to not be able to fall asleep if it’s daylight? I’m going to be 18 soon and I feel like a mess that won’t be able to learn the things I want to in life because I can’t focus on even hobbies I love.
If you see this, thank you, and if you don’t, still I want to thank you sincerely for the video! ♥️
How i make sure i get enough sleep everyday is by walking 4 miles a day, ive noticed that helps my moods (sometimes) and it also helps me sleep really well. But i think I'm going through a manic episode though (im diagnosed bipolar 1) ill have good moods and good energy for weeks sometimes a month if im lucky but then i crash into depression for a few months straight, i wont have any motivation to do anything, my s*icidal thoughts are bad. I hate feeling that way, i would rather feel energetic all of the time and get a lot of sleep. I do take Latuda for my bipolar but im not in any type of therapy. I did have a job at one point but they kept putting me on a different time every single day and that ended up making me take my medication at different times of the day and i was getting less sleep. It sucks being bipolar and i wouldnt wish it upon anyone.
I just got this video in time I have ADHD OCD and anxiety and I started taking melatonin at night to help me sleep and it has been awesome
I would have both of them.....
Ty for the info and all of the concrete examples and suggestions that i can actually take action with.
I really really hope you see this message and possibly respond to it. I went through quite a bit of abuse in childhood and was diagnosed with narcissistic tendencies by my therapist (my mom was diagnosed with NPD). I've lived in isolation most of my life and destroyed most of the relationships I've been in without even realizing it.
I just want to know if it's true that I'm bound to never have proper relationships with others because of the narcissistic tendencies? Never be able to connect deeply and meaningfully? ( I don't know how high on the spectrum I am)
Thank you again for a great video! I'm 47 and struggled with delayed sleep for as long as I can remember, right back to my teenage years. I constantly feel shattered and fatigued. I only discovered I have (undiagnosed) ADHD a few years ago which has been a game changer understanding myself, but this is the first video I've come across which explains the sleep side of things.
And true to form, I'm watching this past midnight as I can't sleep! 😅
I'll research further, but thanks again. Really helpful. ❤
Dr Marks could you please recommend a reliable brand for liquid melatonin? Usually it’s much easier to take an appropriate smaller dose with a dropper, but I can’t seem to find information about what would be a good brand for liquid based melatonin. Thank you 🙏🏻
Thank you beautiful lady
My psychiatrist prescribed a high quality UV lamp to use between 1-3pm to assist with mood and circadian rhythm.
I have been telling people all my life that I'm an insomniac because even though my body is tired, I don't get sleepy. People don't understand that because for them, the two things happen together.
My bestie can fall asleep at the drop of a hat, anywhere, and I am SO envious!
I'll try the low melatonin.
Wish we could get melatonin in the UK but it’s banned.
Agreed
Omg that sucks :(
I have a friend with ADHD and she takes Ambien, but that is not enough always, so she adds melatonin and it works most of the time.
I am unable to sustain my sleep. After hitting the sack, I will be awake two to three hours later.
If you factor in social media addiction and poor eating habits this can be exacerbated and have a ripple effect 😭🤦🏾♀️🤷🏾♀️👀🤔
I suffered adhd, anxiety and mental disorder for over 24 years. It's just amazing how psilocybin mushrooms treatment actually saved my life. 6 years totally clean. Never thought I would be saying this about mushrooms
Congrats on your recovery. Most persons never realizes psilocybin can be used as a miracle medication to save lives. Years back i wrote an entire essay about psychedelics. they saved you from death bud, lets be honest here.
Can you help me with the reliable source 🙏. I'm 56 and have suffered for years with adhd and severe ptsd, I got my panic attacks under control myself years ago and they have come back with a vengeance, I'm constantly trying to take full breaths but can't get the full satisfying breath out, it's absolutely crippling me, i live in Australia. I don't know much about these mushrooms. Really need a reliable source!! Can't wait to get them
I was horrifically depressed since childhood. It was relentless. I assumed it would ultimately end me somehow. About twelve years ago I randomly accepted the offer from a friend of a few doses of mushrooms. I did them two consecutive nights alone. First night was pretty mild. The second night? Wow. I saw my depression from every angle, realized much. Next day: depression totally gone. Never came back, never coming back. It's like it's a forest far away I can remember, and could probably find again with enough effort, but it has zero impact on anything in my life or mind. They honestly saved my life and improved it immensely. I never did them again, either. I wish there was a good, organized way to administer them to people who would benefit from them.
I wish they were readily available in my place. Microdosing was my next plan of care for my husband. He is 59 & has so many mental health issues plus probable CTE & a TBI that left him in a coma 8 days. It's too late now I had to get a TPO as he's 6'6 300+ pound homicidal maniac. He's constantly talking about killing someone. He's violent. Anyone reading this Familiar w/ BPD know if it is common for an obsession with violence.
He ships discreetly to your location. Got mine shipped to here in uk
Very interesting
It seems I keep going back to night shifts. The sun fights with my tired eyes and I wake up on the drive home. I personally wish I could take something that would put me down for eight + hours. I'd live with waking up groggy if I new my body and brain are healing properly while I sleep.
I'm watching this while deep inside this pattern. It's now 1:38am. Thanks for this
Our tv and cell phone use affects people.