Now I lay me down to sleep to lay awake and count the sheep

When I first went to see my Physician's Assistant last year about my desire to actually get some sleep at night, I had struggled with sleep for so long that I couldn't give her an estimate of when my trouble first began. At that point, I couldn't remember the last time I truly slept well or what it felt like to sleep well.

She suggested that I start with melatonin since it is the natural hormone the body uses to regulate our sleep cycles. I took melatonin for about two months, and in that two month period, I did sleep better. Falling to sleep was easier but I still woke up a lot during the night. I also felt a little better during the day. I was a little less fatigued and my overall mood had improved. Unfortunately, the melatonin became ineffective and I found myself falling back into my old sleeping pattern. I couldn't get enough sleep again!

This time my PA gave me a medicine designed to helped me fall asleep and stay asleep longer. She suggested I only take half the tablet at first and start taking the whole tablet if that didn't work. I took the half tablet for maybe a week before I had to up my dosage to the whole tablet but it worked! Suddenly, I was falling asleep quickly and staying asleep for most of the night. I still woke up some during the night; although, I no longer struggled to go back to sleep.

I've been on that medicine for almost a year now. It greatly has improved my ability to sleep through the night. Unfortunately, it hasn't been a perfect solution. I sleep better at night but still feel very fatigued during the day. If I've had a particularly busy and hard day at work, then I'm probably going to be useless that night.

The solution I hadn't been seeking

Recently, @millennialnow's neurologist gave him a list of several vitamins to take daily to help lessen the severity of his migraines. One of the vitamins on the list is B12. You can get B12 in a variety of foods, including meat and dairy, or you can take it as a supplement. After researching and purchasing B12 and all the other vitamins he needed to take, he suggested that I try B12 out for myself.

B12 has several purposes in keeping your body working as it should, including important DNA production. It also can be a natural energy booster, which is why my husband suggested I try it out. Even a year after taking medicine to help me sleep, I still struggle with fatigue. By the end of the week, I'm usually so exhausted that I sleep 9-10 hours on Friday nights.

Trying a new supplement reluctantly

I was incredibly reluctant to try the B12. I don't usually get into supplements and have always regarded them with caution; however, my desire not to be so fatigued anymore won and I gave the B12 a shot. I've been taking B12 every day for the past two weeks. In that time, I have noticed a great transformation in myself. I feel much more alert in the afternoon and evening - times when I used to feel very sluggish and fatigued. I have been able to be more active for longer periods of time as well.

Yesterday, I had the most productive Saturday I've had in a very long time. I was active for almost the entire day. Until recently, that's something I haven't been capable of doing. We had lunch and dinner with family, and in between meals, I did a few hours worth of house chores.

I don't necessarily believe that this is a route everyone should take. Not everyone needs to supplement their diet with B12, but it's been great for me. I actually feel like I can conquer my own small chunk for the world now! I also feel like a new world has been open to me. I'm interested in expanding the role of supplements in my life. Even if it is jus the placebo effect causing my wakefulness, I'll take it!

What are your thoughts on supplements? They hugely popular now. Are they or are they not worth our time?