I seem to hear from a variety of people that they struggle to fall asleep at night; but the difficult to fall asleep sounds like an evolutionary downside. Even as hunter-gatherers, being able to sleep whenever and wherever sounds like it would be an advantage.

Is it a recent product of modern times and people didn’t actually struggle with it a while back? In which case, what of modern life is causing this? If not, what is the evolutionary advantage of not falling asleep easily?

  • @fubo@lemmy.world
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    11 year ago

    Melatonin is a lot stronger than a lot of folks realize.

    Drugstores will sell you a 10mg melatonin tablet that utterly crushes your endogenous production.

    0.5mg taken earlier in the night may be plenty for many people.

    • @CyanFen
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      11 year ago

      The idea that taking melatonin orally causes your body to stop producing it is a myth.