You should talk with your doc & make sure it doesn't interact with any other meds you take. I take 3mg melatonin- it helps most of the time. I thought melatonin was a natural.
If I take more than 3mg I have nightmares.

Yes you can get other natural sleep aids that are over the counter.like valerian root.

My sisters DR. Told her to take the melatonin one hour to a hour and half before bed... She also has fibro...

I feel like I spend most of my life seeking good sleep!

I have taken ambien for years, but it doesn't work very well for me. I have tried everything Rx.
I have also tried everything natural, and had little results from melatonin until recently.

I tried it again as an combination with a couple of essential oils that help with sleep. (vetiver and valerian) and it helped a lot, but I ran out.
So then I picked some up from Trader Joes that has L-Theanine and 5-HTP in it. It has been helping as well.

I wonder if the form it is in, or it being in combination with other things, is making it more effective for me. I do know that my sleep changes often, and what works this week may stop working, and then begins the chase again to find the next thing that works.

Melatonin is leading to some crazy intense dreams, but I don't typically remember dreaming at all. I don't know if it is helping me get into a different cycle of sleep so I dream more, or it triggers strange dreams. However I know of many people who report the same thing.

I tried it! It works great for 3 to 4 hours and then when I wake up to go potty I can't get back to sleep! I still use it if I'm desperate! Something is better than nothing some days!!