The First Sign of Dementia

7 Early Warning Signs of Dementia You Shouldn’t Ignore

How to spot symptoms that your loved one may have Alzheimer’s or dementia

by Patrick J. Kiger, AARP, Updated March 25, 2022

From age 50 on, it’s not unusual to have occasional trouble finding the right word or remembering where you put things.

Dementia Symptoms at a Glance

• Difficulty with everyday tasks
• Repetition
• Communication problems
• Getting lost
• Personality changes
• Confusion about time and place
• Troubling behavior

But persistent difficulty with memory, cognition and ability to perform everyday tasks might be signs that something more serious is happening to a loved one’s brain.

Dementia isn’t actually a disease, according to the Mayo Clinic. It’s a catch-all term for changes in the brain that cause a loss of functioning that interferes with daily life. Dementia can diminish focus, the ability to pay attention, language skills, problem-solving and visual perception. It also can make it difficult for a person to control his or her emotions and lead to personality changes.

Roughly 6.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s dementia, according to the “2022 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures” report from the Alzheimer’s Association. Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia, accounting for 60 percent to 70 percent of cases, but a range of brain illnesses can lead to the condition (see sidebar, “Diseases that cause dementia”).

Diseases that cause dementia

These conditions are the leading causes of dementia. Many patients have mixed dementia, a combination of two or more types, such as Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.

Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is characterized by amyloid plaques and tangled fibers in the brain and by a loss of connections between nerve cells. Damage initially appears in the hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in memory formation, and gradually spreads.

Vascular dementia. The second most common type of dementia results from damage to the vessels that supply blood to the brain. It tends to affect focus, organization, problem-solving and speed of thinking more noticeably than memory.

Lewy body dementia. Abnormal protein deposits in the brain, called Lewy bodies, affect brain chemistry and lead to problems with behavior, mood, movement and thinking.

Frontotemporal disorders. Degenerative damage to the brain’s frontal and temporal lobes is the most common cause of dementia in people age 65 and younger. Symptoms might include apathy; difficulty communicating, walking or working; emotional changes; and impulsive or inappropriate behaviors.

Sources: National Institute on Aging, Mayo Clinic

A loved one showing symptoms of dementia needs to see a medical expert who can conduct tests and come up with a diagnosis. If a loved one has dementia, you’ll want to plan how you will manage that care, especially as the condition progresses.

But it’s also important to rule out other medical conditions with dementia-like symptoms that may disappear with treatment such as infections and side effects of medications.

Dementia symptoms to watch for

Here are some of the warning signs identified by dementia experts and mental health organizations:

• Difficulty with everyday tasks. Everyone makes mistakes, but people with dementia may find it increasingly difficult to do things like keep track of monthly bills or follow a recipe while cooking, the Alzheimer’s Association says. They also may find it hard to concentrate on tasks, take much longer to do them or have trouble finishing them.

• Repetition. Asking a question over and over or telling the same story about a recent event multiple times are common indicators of mild or moderate Alzheimer’s, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

• Communication problems. Observe if a loved one has trouble joining in conversations or following along with them, stops abruptly in the middle of a thought or struggles to think of words or the name of objects.

• Getting lost. People with dementia may have difficulty with visual and spatial abilities. That can manifest itself in problems like getting lost while driving, according to the Mayo Clinic.

• Personality changes. A loved one who begins acting unusually anxious, confused, fearful or suspicious; becomes upset easily; or loses interest in activities and seems depressed is cause for concern.

• Confusion about time and place. Loved ones who forget where they are or can’t remember how they got there should raise alarms. Another worrisome sign is disorientation about time — for example, routinely forgetting what day of the week it is, says Jason Karlawish, M.D., a professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine and co-director of the Penn Memory Center.

• Troubling behavior. If your family member seems to have increasingly poor judgment when handling money or neglects grooming and cleanliness, pay attention.

Some people who experience memory loss or have difficulty with attention, decision-making language or reasoning may have a condition known as mild cognitive impairment. The condition causes a noticeable decline, but the changes are less severe than with dementia and a person can still perform normal daily activities, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

People with mild cognitive impairment are at an increased risk of developing dementia.

Signs of dementia? Where to find help

When your loved one is displaying troubling symptoms, a trip to a primary care physician is often the first step. But to get a definitive diagnosis, you’ll need to see a specialist such as a neurologist, geriatrician or geriatric psychiatrist.

If you can’t find one, the National Institute on Aging recommends contacting the neurology department of a nearby medical school. Some hospitals also have clinics that focus on dementia.

Ailments can mimic dementia

Any number of treatable conditions can cause dementia-like symptoms. Some of the most common:

• Alcohol abuse
• Anxiety, depression or stress
• Blood clots, brain infections or tumors
• Delirium
• Head injuries
• Kidney, liver or thyroid problems
• Side effects of medication
• Vitamin deficiencies

Source: National Institute on Aging

Specialists will want to know about the patient’s personal and family medical history. A close relative or relatives having had Alzheimer’s is a major risk factor.

Recent research suggests that a prevalence among even members of your extended family can increase your dementia risk. Doctors also will conduct physical and neurological exams to rule out other treatable causes for dementia symptoms.

Some of the methods that doctors use to diagnose dementia:

• Cognitive and neuropsychological tests assess language and math skills, memory, problem-solving and other types of mental functioning.

• Lab tests of blood and other fluids, including checking levels of various chemicals, hormones and vitamins, can help rule out nondementia causes for the symptoms.

• Brain scans such as CT, MRI or PET imaging can spot changes in brain structure and function. These tests also can identify strokes, tumors and other problems that can cause dementia.

• Psychiatric evaluation can determine whether a mental health condition is causing or affecting the symptoms.

• Genetic tests are important, especially if someone is showing symptoms before age 60. The early onset form of Alzheimer’s is strongly linked to a person’s genes, according to the Mayo Clinic. Talk with a genetic counselor before and after getting tested.

Editor’s note: This article was published on October 22, 2019. It has been updated with more recent information.

Patrick J. Kiger is a contributing writer for AARP. He has written for a wide variety of publications, including the Los Angeles Times Magazine, GQ and Mother Jones, as well as the websites of the Discovery Channel and National Geographic.​​

More on Dementia

• Caregiving for dementia: Helping your loved one stay connected
• Healthy lifestyle, not supplements, prevent dementia
• Staying Sharp: Take control of your brain health

Night Cap

Study Finds Modest Drinking Helped Elderly People Live Longer

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Instead of an apple a day, try a glass of wine.

(DAVID SILVERMAN/GETTY IMAGES)

“Raise a glass to the golden years.”

Making it past 90 years old may boil down to drinking a couple of glasses of alcohol a night, according to a study on members of the oldest demographic in the U.S.

The 90+ Study, started in 2003, focuses on the fastest growing age group in America – the “oldest-old” – to determine what habits lead to quantity and quality of life, according to its website. This year, researchers at the Clinic for Aging Research and Education in Laguna Woods, California, focused on what food, activities and lifestyles are commonly featured among those living longer.Soccer stars snub drink sponsors at Euro 2020

Analyzing more than 1,600 nonagenarians, the study results showed that people who drank two glasses of beer or wine a day improved their odds of living longer than those who abstained by about 18 percent.

Dr. Claudia Kawas, a neurology specialist and head of the 90+ Study at the University of California, presented her findings at the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s annual conference in Austin, Texas, on Feb. 17.

“I have no explanation for it, but I do firmly believe that modest drinking improves longevity,” Kawas said in her keynote address.

Tea ☕ and coffee ☕ and joy

NewsBreak: Tea and Coffee Are Both Good Sources of Antioxidants and Caffeine, but Which Is Better for You?

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Tea and Coffee Are Both Good Sources of Antioxidants and Caffeine, but Which Is Better for You?

Registered dietitians weigh in on the health benefits of tea vs. coffee.

By  Kirsten Nunez June 23, 2022

For many of us, starting the day with a drink is an essential morning ritual. And while some folks might opt for beverages like orange juice or plain water, most people reach for tea or coffee. These drinks, after all, are some of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. Even the act of consuming each brew offers its own unique experience. But when it comes to health and wellness, is one better than the other? To find out, we spoke to registered dietitians to find out which drink comes out on top.

Health Benefits of Tea

Now, it’s worth mentioning that are hundreds of types of tea. But tea, in general, is a wonderfully nutritious drink, especially when consumed regularly. For starters, it’s teeming with antioxidants. A quick recap: Antioxidants are beneficial molecules that protect the body from free radicals, according to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Free radicals are unstable atoms that, when present in high levels, can lead to oxidative stress. Over time, oxidative stress can damage cells and lead to chronic conditions like heart disease and cancer—but consuming plenty of antioxidants (like those found in tea) could potentially reduce your risk. Green and black tea are particularly rich in antioxidants called polyphenols, says Kelsey Lorencz, RD, registered dietitian and founder of Graciously Nourished. Even herbal teas, like peppermint and chamomile, have antioxidants, though in smaller amounts.

Both green and black tea also boast a moderate amount of caffeine, about 47 milligrams and 28 milligrams per 8-ounce cup, respectively. Caffeine has an energizing effect; this can be helpful for jumpstarting your day, whether you’re heading to work or tackling chores. What’s more, caffeine supports cognitive functions like learning and memory, according to a 2021 article in the journal Nutrients. And get this: Caffeine is an antioxidant itself, meaning it protects cells against oxidative stress, further adding to the health benefits of tea.

Health Benefits of Coffee

Coffee, like tea, is packed with antioxidants. It’s most known for its high content of chlorogenic acid, an antioxidant compound that protects against oxidative stress, says Kerry Hackworth, MS, RD, registered dietitian at National Dairy Council. Chlorogenic acid also has anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, which could play a potential role in staving off chronic conditions. In fact, drinking coffee is associated with a lower risk of neurodegenerative conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, the brew may help slow muscle loss associated with aging, according to registered dietitian  Maddie Pasquariello, MS, RDN.

And when it comes to caffeine? You can’t go wrong with coffee. The brew contains more caffeine than tea, which might be ideal if you have a high tolerance to the substance. For context, one 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee contains 96 milligrams of caffeine, according to the Mayo Clinic. That’s more than double the caffeine in black tea and four times as much in green tea.

So, Which Is Healthier: Tea or Coffee?

It depends. Both tea and coffee have notable health benefits for the body, and both drinks can be part of a healthy diet. Thus, the “best” option depends on what’s most important to you.

For example, if it’s the antioxidants you’re after, either beverage can check that box. But if you’re looking for something to soothe a bout of nausea, a cup of hot tea will be more likely to hit the spot. It also depends how you prepare each drink. For instance, if you want or need to limit excess sugar, drinking either beverage with a sweetener might not be ideal for your situation.

Another factor to consider is the caffeine content each drink, and how your body responds to caffeine. Remember, coffee has about two to four times more caffeine than tea—so if you’re sensitive to the substance, tea may be a better choice, says Lorencz. Or if you can tolerate caffeine but find that coffee makes you jittery, you may be better off drinking matcha (a type of green tea) or black tea, which contain less caffeine, notes Pasquariello. Additionally, the time of day matters. “Caffeine has a long half-life, [meaning] it will remain in your system for hours after you drink it,” says Pasquariello. So if you consume coffee or caffeinated tea in the afternoon, you might feel wired come bedtime. This can disrupt your ability to get quality sleep, which can be unhealthy and stressful for the body.

Most importantly, think about your own personal health concerns. Some medications and conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, might not play well with large amounts of caffeine. This means you might need to limit or skip highly caffeinated drinks, such as coffee. Likewise, if you’re trying to become pregnant, currently pregnant, or breastfeeding, you’ll need to limit your caffeine intake, notes Hackworth. This might mean drinking coffee or tea in certain amounts, though “it’s always best to consult a doctor or registered dietitian for individualized advice,” she adds.

Finally, it’s worth considering which drink simply brings you joy. After all, whether it’s a bold cup of joe or an earthy green tea, these small, everyday pleasures are crucial for your well-being. And by acknowledging how each drink fits into your lifestyle, health, and overall needs, you can determine which one works best for you.

US rejects Afghans

U.S. is rejecting over 90% of Afghans seeking to enter the country on humanitarian grounds

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U.S. is rejecting over 90% of Afghans seeking to enter the country on humanitarian grounds

• BY CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ
• Zaker Hussain told the U.S. government that his brother, Mohammad, was at risk of being harmed by the Taliban because of his own work at the Afghan presidential palace, his membership in the long-persecuted Hazara minority group and Hussain’s role as a combat translator for the U.S. Marine Corps.

The former Afghan translator, whose war-time service helping Marines find and deactivate improvised explosive devices (IEDs) earned him U.S. resettlement and eventual citizenship, hoped the U.S. would allow his brother to enter the country on humanitarian grounds through a process known as parole. 

Hussain explained in a signed affidavit that his brother — and his wife and young children — were in great danger because of his own years of working with the U.S.-backed Afghan government, as well as the assistance Hussain provided to the U.S. military in its fight against the Taliban.

But the evidence he submitted, ranging from Afghan government IDs and passports, to news articles detailing Taliban attacks against Hazaras and U.S. translators, was not enough. Hussain’s application on behalf of his brother was denied by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on December 29, 2021.

“USCIS generally offers parole based on protection needs only when USCIS finds that the beneficiary is at risk of severe targeted or individualized harm in the country where the beneficiary is located or is at risk of imminent return to a country where the beneficiary would be harmed,” the rejection letter said. panel

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“USCIS did not find sufficient evidence of the nature noted above to establish eligibility for parole,” the letter continued.

Zaker Hussain in an undated photo in Afghanistan.ZAKER HUSSAIN

After the Taliban reconquered Afghanistan last summer, the U.S. evacuated 124,000 U.S. citizens and residents; third country nationals; and Afghans as part of the largest airlift since the Vietnam War. It then resettled more than 70,000 Afghans who aided the U.S. war effort or were deemed to be at risk of Taliban persecution.

Because of the hurried and chaotic evacuations, however, not all Afghans who could be eligible for U.S. resettlement were evacuated. Many of those who were left behind began filing applications for parole, which allows U.S. officials to authorize the entry of immigrants without visas on urgent humanitarian grounds.

Since July 2021, USCIS has received over 46,000 applications from Afghans hoping to come to the U.S. through the parole process. But most parole applications from Afghans remain unresolved — and over 90% of fewer than 5,000 fully adjudicated requests have been denied, USCIS statistics shared with CBS News show.  

As of June 2, only 297 parole requests from Afghans had been approved by USCIS, while 4,246 requests had been rejected, according to the agency figures, which suggest that most of the tens of thousands of pending cases will be rejected under the standards being used by the U.S. government.

For different reasons, those filing parole requests were not among those who were evacuated and resettled by U.S. officials last year following the abrupt collapse of the Afghan government. In many cases, they were unable to enter Kabul’s airport in time before the evacuation flights stopped.

Hussain’s wife, baby daughter and one of his brothers were able to get on an evacuation flight and later joined him in Virginia in August 2021. But his other brother Mohammed, sister-in-law and their children were not able to enter Kabul’s airport amid the chaos caused by thousands of desperate Afghans hoping to flee Taliban rule.

Mohammad, who asked for his surname to be omitted to protect his identity, said he has been in hiding ever since. With the birth of his baby girl last year, Mohammad has three children to care for — but he has not been able to work, fearing that it could lead the Taliban to discover his whereabouts. 

When the U.S. rejected his parole application, Mohammad said he felt “like a dead person but breathing.” The affidavit included in his application said the Taliban has access to his files and former office in the presidential palace, where Mohammad worked as a painter and architect in the Office of the President.

“We don’t feel safe,” he said through a translator. “We don’t know what will happen in an hour. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow.”

Children play with a bicycle wheel as Afghan refugees are struggling to survive under difficult conditions in Islamabad, Pakistan on May 29, 2022. Refugees living in the camp continue to stay in the country due to the economic and political problems in Afghanistan.MUHAMMED SEMIH UGURLU/ANADOLU AGENCY VIA GETTY IMAGES

Hussain, who is now a caseworker for a refugee resettlement group in Virginia, said he regularly sends money to his family in Afghanistan so they can purchase basic necessities. But he said he feels a deep sense of guilt and constantly worries about their safety.

“They are in danger as a consequence of me supporting the U.S. government,” said Hussain, who arrived in the U.S. in 2014 under the Special Immigrant Visa program for Afghans who aided American military forces.

Alexander Wu, a former U.S. Marine Corps captain who served with Hussain during his 2012 deployment in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, said his former translator should not have to worry whether his family members will be harmed or even killed.

“Awful stuff happens everywhere but this is something that is uniquely a direct result of a U.S. policy choice,” Wu said. “These are people that we served with.”

“A jarring example of inequity”

Since the 1950s, the U.S. has used the parole authority during numerous crises to quickly resettle groups of refugees, including Hungarians fleeing Soviet repression, Cubans escaping communism and Vietnamese seeking a safe haven following the fall of Saigon.

The Biden administration has used parole liberally, invoking it to admit some asylum-seekers along the U.S.-Mexico border, at-risk Central American children, Haitians and Cubans seeking to reunite with family in the U.S., Ukrainian refugees and the tens of thousands of Afghans it evacuated last year. 

But the administration has relied on narrower eligibility rules when adjudicating parole applications from Afghans who were not evacuated by the U.S. last summer, prompting refugee advocates to raise accusations of disparate treatment and discrimination.

In response to the criticism, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) noted that parole is not intended to replace the U.S. refugee program, which officials said Afghans seeking refuge should use to try to come to the U.S. However, those hoping to enter the years-long U.S. refugee pipeline need to be in a third country.

DHS said Afghans will be granted parole in “some limited circumstances,” citing cases of immediate family members of U.S. citizens or residents, former Kabul embassy staff, Special Immigrant Visa applicants, immediate relatives of Afghans relocated to the U.S. last year and others who face “serious, targeted harm.”

One of the reasons that most Afghan parole cases remain unadjudicated, DHS added, is because USCIS is typically used to handling around 2,000 applications per year — not tens of thousands of requests. 

DHS also noted that 70% of Afghan parole applicants are in Afghanistan, where they cannot undergo required interviews because there’s no U.S. consulate there. Applicants who are deemed eligible for parole need to travel to third countries to have their cases approved, DHS said.

“This is complicating the completion of some humanitarian parole applications that would otherwise be approved,” the department told CBS News.

But advocates said officials can conduct interviews remotely or waive them, noting that Ukrainian refugees are not required to undergo interviews before being paroled into the U.S. The government, they said, should also allow private citizens, such as veterans, to sponsor the resettlement of Afghans, including their war-time allies.

“Just in my own personal capacity, I know hundreds of people who would be willing to sponsor Afghans,” said Chris Purdy, an Iraq War veteran who now leads Veterans for American Ideals, a branch of the refugee advocacy group Human Rights First.

Purdy acknowledged the U.S. was ill-equipped to process tens of thousands of parole cases last year. But he said the government has had nearly a year since the fall of Kabul to set up a program to resettle at-risk Afghans who were left behind, citing the quick creation of a private sponsorship initiative for Ukrainian refugees.

Two months after Russia invaded Ukraine, the Biden administration launched a program dubbed Uniting for Ukraine to allow private individuals to help those displaced by the war come to the U.S. Unlike parole cases, which require $575 application fees, the Uniting for Ukraine program is free.

As opposed to most U.S. immigration programs, which take months or years to process petitions, Uniting for Ukraine cases are being processed electronically in a matter of weeks or even days. In less than three months, 37,000 Ukrainians have been granted U.S. travel authorization and 11,000 have arrived, USCIS data show.

“Processing one group’s claims at a much lower evidentiary threshold, and at no cost, without doing so for the other is a jarring example of inequity,” said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. “This process is meant to save lives and reunite families — an applicant’s fate shouldn’t be dependent on their nationality.”

A senior DHS official, who requested anonymity to discuss the parole process, said she understands why some advocates have made the comparison between the processing of Ukrainians and that of Afghans. But the official said the populations have different characteristics and circumstances.

“This was a U.S.-led evacuation, as opposed to in the Ukrainian context, where these individuals are buying their own plane tickets and organizing their own logistics and their own travel,” the DHS official said.

The official noted the U.S. is still processing some Afghans, including through an expedited refugee process in Qatar. But only a limited number of Afghans have benefited from the process — and flights out of Afghanistan are scarce. Since March 1, 3,700 at-risk Afghans have arrived in the U.S., DHS data shows.

The Biden administration has also argued that Ukrainians are seeking a temporary safe haven, while Afghans are searching for permanent resettlement. But advocates said they also expect many Ukrainians to stay in the U.S. permanently, especially if the war in Ukraine continues for the foreseeable future.

Purdy said the U.S. can and should allow Afghans to access the same process offered to Ukrainians. “Just because the Ukrainians are fleeing a conflict in Europe and Afghans are fleeing Central Asia isn’t an excuse to have different systems,” he said.

Angelo Fernandez, a DHS spokesperson, said the Biden administration is committed to helping both Ukrainians displaced by the war in their homeland and at-risk Afghans.

“The United States swiftly welcomed more than 79,000 Afghans through Operation Allies Welcome, an unprecedented historic effort, providing them with work authorization, immigration benefits, and other support as they begin their new lives in America — and we are prepared to welcome additional Afghans over the coming weeks and months,” Fernandez said.  

Hussain attributes his steadfast faith in the U.S. and its institutions to his two years working alongside U.S. service members and the help they provided his wife and daughter during last year’s evacuations. While that faith has been tested, he still hopes the U.S. will reconsider its decision to deny his brother’s application.

“My family is in extreme danger,” he said.

Wu, the former Marine Corps officer who served with Hussain, said he appreciates when people thank him for his service. But he said Afghan translators like Hussain deserve the most praise.

“It’s really difficult to imagine fighting a fight when your family can be threatened,” Wu said. “It’s easy for us in a lot of ways since we’re going off to different places. People can’t send us letters saying, ‘I know where your family lives.'”

Zaker Hussain and Alex Wu in Virginia in November 2021.ZAKER HUSSAIN

Hussain was not just a translator, Wu said. He helped Marines understand Afghan culture and established a sense of trust between them and Afghan forces amid concerns over green-on-blue incidents in which infiltrators targeted U.S. personnel. Most importantly, Wu said, Hussain risked his life for a U.S. mission. 

The least the U.S. can do, Wu said, is offer Hussain’s family a viable pathway to come here.

“They served our country and theirs. But it was an allyship with us,” Wu said. “Turning our backs on them is shameful.”

Happy Father’s Day to Cory Noeker

To our love-daddy from Elodie Therese and Myla (Honey-Bunny)

2022

Cory Noeker with other saints

and from Cecelia Anne

our new arrival

Melatonin

NewsBreak

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How to take melatonin correctly and how long it takes to work, according to sleep experts

By Ashley Laderer, Jason McKnight

Prices are accurate at the time of publication.

You should look for “pharmaceutical-grade” on the label of melatonin.lanasphotos/Getty Images

• It takes melatonin between 30 minutes and two hours to work.
• You should start with a low dose of melatonin (0.5 mg) and gradually taper up according to your needs.
• You should never take more than 10 mg or you could experience nausea and other side effects.

Taking melatonin supplements as a sleep aid has become increasingly common among US adults.

Medical term: Melatonin is a naturally-occurring hormone your brain makes to help you fall and stay asleep at night. However, some people with sleep troubles can take a melatonin supplement to boost their melatonin levels for better sleep.

For the best results, it’s important to know when you should take melatonin so you don’t take it too early or too late. Taking it early can result in feeling groggy before you’re able to hit the hay, and taking it late may result in falling asleep later than desired.

Here’s what you need to know about how to take melatonin and how long it takes to work.

How to take melatonin

For people who have trouble falling asleep, sleep specialists typically recommend melatonin dosage between 0.5 to five milligrams two hours to 30 minutes before bed — but what works best varies from person to person.

You should take special precautions when buying melatonin since it is categorized by the FDA as a dietary supplement, not a drug, says Dr. Rajkumar Dasgupta, sleep medicine specialist at Keck Medicine of USC .

This means that it isn’t as regulated, so you should:

• Take only pharmaceutical-grade melatonin. It will likely say this on the label, but to be extra cautious, you can ask your doctor or pharmacist what trustworthy brands they recommend.
• Understand that not all melatonin supplements contain the dosage they say they do . Since it may contain more than it says, start low with the dose to avoid adverse effects.

Here are some general guidelines for starting melatonin:

• Start with a low dose (Dasgupta says you can start as low as 0.5 milligrams)
• Take it up to two hours before bedtime, since this would mimic the time your brain would naturally release melatonin in a circadian rhythm.

Once you know how your body reacts to melatonin, you can start tailoring your dose to your needs. For example, some people may need to take melatonin closer to their desired bedtime, up to 30 minutes prior , if they notice it works more quickly for them.

You can also raise your dose by tapering up in increments of 0.5 milligrams to one milligram, Dasgupta says. Just be sure to never take more than 10 milligrams of melatonin within a 24-hour period. Higher doses can result in a greater risk of side effects such as:

• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Next-day drowsiness

How long does it take for melatonin to work?

Everyone metabolizes melatonin differently, due to various factors ranging from body size to other medications you may be taking that may interact with melatonin, says Dasgupta.

Theoretically, though, melatonin is rapidly absorbed, says Dr. Brian Gotkin , a sleep specialist at Memorial Healthcare System. After taking the supplement, melatonin levels typically peak after about an hour , and decrease from there.

Due to its short half-life, Gotkin says melatonin is better suited for helping you fall asleep, but not necessarily staying asleep.

Therefore, people who have trouble staying asleep should look into alternative treatments. If insomnia is the cause, Dasgupta says the ideal treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI-I). This is typically tried before any sleep aids are prescribed.

Alternatively, an underlying health problem might be the reason you can’t stay asleep. Aside from insomnia, Dasgupta says some conditions that may result in waking up throughout the night are:

• Congestive heart failure
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Narcolepsy
• Obstructive sleep apnea

Additionally, it should be noted that melatonin is not a sleeping pill, and it isn’t going to knock you right out –– especially if you don’t have good sleep hygiene . For example, Dasgupta says if you’re having caffeine later in the day or looking at bright screens before bed, you may find that melatonin doesn’t help much.

Insider’s takeaway

Melatonin supplements affect everyone differently, and it may take some trial and error to figure out what dosage and timing work for you specifically.

Keep in mind that melatonin is not a silver bullet to make you fall asleep quickly. Healthy bedtime habits are still crucial, and for people with clinical insomnia, cognitive behavioral therapy and sleep hygiene changes remain the gold standard of treatment — not melatonin — says Gotkin.

Read the original article on Insider

Robert A. Brungs, SJ

1982 June 11. Father Van Hove’s ordination at the College Church

Coffee and kidneys

NewsBreak: Drinking coffee may help protect kidneys

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O’Dwyer and Haggerty

June 7-22 — one requires QUALITY friends