Desrtopa comments on Procedural Knowledge Gaps - Less Wrong

126 Post author: Alicorn 08 February 2011 03:17AM

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Comment author: Desrtopa 12 February 2011 04:20:45AM 1 point [-]

I bought some for someone else a matter of days ago (she's living kind of hand to mouth at the moment, so I sprung the cost for her,) but I didn't notice until after I placed the order that I had selected the highest available dosage, 10 mg per pill. Would it be best for her to start with fractions of a pill per night? Her sleep issues are pretty serious.

Comment author: wedrifid 12 February 2011 04:44:08AM 0 points [-]

10 mg? Wow. I didn't know they sold them that high!

If I was using it myself I would just take the 10mg tablet and see what happened, it isn't going to do anything particularly harmful. But if I was supplying them for someone else I would either split the dose or buy new ones. Some people are reluctant enough to try pills that an initial bad experience will turn them off completely.

Would it be best for her to start with fractions of a pill per night?

It is actually pretty hard to say. Response to melatonin in humans is just bizarre. For some people 0.1 mg is too much while others could gulp down that 10mg tablet and it'd be just right. The degree of sleep difficulties don't necessarily come into it.

Her sleep issues are pretty serious.

It could work wonders if her difficulties are melatonin or sleep-clock related or it could do absolutely nothing. :/

Comment author: Desrtopa 12 February 2011 04:49:39AM 1 point [-]

She's bipolar, and apparently bipolar individuals tend to be chronically low in melatonin.

Comment author: wedrifid 12 February 2011 05:44:17AM 0 points [-]

Ouch. Yes, and also a group that responds very well to getting a consistent, stable sleep pattern in order.