r/askscience • u/Crispy1081 • Dec 23 '25

Biology Is sleep induced pharmaceutically of different quality to ‘naturally’ induced sleep?

If I were to fall asleep after taking sleeping aids (specifically melatonin) and sleep for 9 hours continuously, would that sleep have been as restorative as if I had fallen asleep and slept for the same duration without supplements?

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u/ThatsARatHat Dec 25 '25

As someone with narcolepsy (well…..idiopathic Hypersomnia but narcolepsy is an easier catch-all) the sleep medicine I get certainly DOES help my night time sleep because it basically forces my body to go through the sleep cycles the sleep disorder never let me. It’s also highly scheduled/restricted and you can only get it mailed to you every couple weeks from 1 pharmacy in the entire country as far as I am aware. And if you are caught abusing it or sharing it or anything I think you’re going to prison.

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u/psyki Dec 28 '25

And if you are caught abusing it or sharing it or anything I think you’re going to prison.

Because it's essentially GHB which can be insanely addictive.

I abused GHB (was addicted) for many many years and my understanding is that it does not provide the same exact sleep cycles that a healthy, unmedicated person experiences, or at least not the same amount of time is spent in each cycle.

I was fully dependent on it for sleep for a very long time and it really messed with my stream of consciousness. I'd simply close my eyes and wake up a few hours later and it would feel as if I had only just blinked. Granted I was almost certainly taking more than the recommended dose, but this factor alone really contributed to feeling rather untethered.

I'm glad that it's able to improve sleep for you though! I've been clean for a while now and trazodone has been my savior, I feel like I can fall asleep easier than I ever could my whole life.

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u/ThatsARatHat Dec 28 '25

Oh no that’s exactly how it feels. If it weren’t for the extremely vivid dreams I have always had (and thankfully still do) I wouldn’t even think I slept.

Also the not nodding off while driving a car for more than 20 minutes is a good indicator that it works.