Yes!  If you want to stick with non-pharmaceuticals, here is the most complete article I know of about help for sleep :-) 

Sleep: Timing of Melatonin, Light, Dark, and Use of Other Aids

For my younger daughter, the tryptophan replaced Seroquel in a doctor-advised 500mg:75mg (Tryptophan to Seroquel) ratio. So she now takes 1000mg Tryptophan nightly. The brand she uses is from Life Extension. She prefers a formulation from them called "TryptoPure." She also uses "Nutra Sleep" I believe from Source Naturals.

But equally important is being AWAKE in the daytime - she uses a "SunBox" in the mornings.

Both my kids did the above, but my older daughter no longer needs all the sleep care, now that she has adressed her thyroid, gut, and food issues.

My younger daughter has to have more stimulating things during the day which actually helps her at night, but she has a diagnosed sleep disorder.

You might want to try extended-release melatonin.

--Jeanie aka "Naomi"
ItsNotMental
Older dd: formerly(?) teen-onset bipolar (morphed into ultradian cycling): "Recovered" after over 13 years - stable off psych meds almost two years. Now fine on just diet changes and higher thyroid levels (after healing - addressing gut issues/Candidal overgrowth while using EMPowerPlus and other supplements). She added EMpowerPlus back on just because she feels better on it - gets sick less often.
Younger dd: formerly(?) Childhood-onset schizoaffective, TS, OCD, anxiety, PTSD, migraines. After over 15 years, is now "recovered" for almost 5 years after treating endocrine issues, food sensitivities, gut issues, sleep issues, nutritional/mitochondrial needs.

Thanks!  Would be nice to get him off the Melatonin, since he has been on it for years and years, it is the first thing he ever took when he was 4.  I think it is just losing effectiveness.  The Aminos help, but not enough.

--

Kim 33 Co-Mod Military with Katie and Heather
brandonsmom_1996@msn.com
Army wife and BSW student
PLMS, Insomnia, Severe D-IBS, Special diet
Iron and Mirapex for PLMS, Lunesta, Zyrtec
Brandon 15, BP 1, ADHD, Schizoaffective?, PDD?, IgG allergic gluten, casein, soy, eggs, peanuts
EMPower Plus 5 caps TID, AminoPowerPlus 4 BID, Lamictal (weaning), Synthroid, Melatonin 6-12 mg
8th grade (held back) homeschooled-Meridell Achievement Center 4/28- 9/25
Chris, 34 dh since 9/10, Army
Cheeto the cat: Hyperthyroidism (radioactive iodine 2/8), Separation Anxiety, and Chronic UTIs, rx diet Mystic: The princess of the house and HATES Brandon
Jackson: Lab, DOB 1/13/11, training to be psychiatric service dog eventually
Fort Bragg, NC
FROM TBMF: Do not start, stop, or change medications or other treatments for yourself or your child based on what you read on this Website or elsewhere on the Internet.

Have you considered lowering the melatonin?  There might be the chance that by adding it, you are overloading the pathway at this point, as you are adding all the precursors- the methionine, the phenyalanine, the tryptophan, folate...    Sometimes, too much of something present can create a log-jam, slowing processes up stream. As you are rectifying issues in the methylation cycle, which cofactors with the cycle producing the melatonin, adding large amounts of melatonin might be creating an issue.  I remember asking our dr about adding melatonin and he said the levels would get back to adequate with the other supps. 

One of the reasons I thought melatonin seems to help is because it is a 'backdoor' fix-  melatonin can cross the blood brain barrier, and available to the CNS. Supplementing  tryptophan requires more steps to make it inside the CNS (bigger molecule).  Melatonin also is an antioxidant, which may be a bigger factor when others, like glutathione, are low.

Below is from a Life extension magazine:  SAMe Is Necessary for Melatonin

One of the most exciting things about SAMe is that it is melatonin's daytime equivalent. The natural synthesis of melatonin during the night is dependent on the synthesis of SAMe during the day. SAMe is necessary for the biochemical reaction that converts serotonin into melatonin. (Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that drugs like Prozac elevate). SAMe and melatonin are entwined in a circadian rhythm that see-saws back and forth as the sun rises and sets. SAMe is melatonin's other half: when melatonin levels shoot up at night, SAMe stays low. But during the day, when melatonin falls, SAMe levels climb. Without adequate SAMe during the day, neither melatonin nor serotonin can be synthesized. And both are dependent on light and dark.

One of the most fascinating animal studies on SAMe and melatonin was published in the Journal of Neurochemistry in 1995. Researchers demonstrated in great detail the perfect orchestration that occurs between levels of SAMe and melatonin. The so-called "nyctohemeral" rhythm (pertaining to both day and night) was documented almost minute-by-minute. Data were translated onto graphs showing the see-saw relationship between melatonin and SAMe (Fig. 1).

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag97/march97-report.htm

 http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2008/aug2008_Beyond-Sleep-New-Medical-Applications-for-Melatonin_01.htm

--

Darryl - parent volunteer, dad to
Levi, 12, stable using supps and diet exclusively since June 07. Previously treated and stable with med combo inc. lithium, 900mg seroquel, and small amounts of risperdal, luvox and focalin after being dx'd at age 3 1/2.

Thanks, Darryl. When my kids were so ill, I felt very stressed, depressed, and had trouble sleeping. I took SAM-e during that time, and took TMG in the morning and glycine at night. These really helped me. They were not something I stayed on permanently, but they helped me during that really bad time, whereas the antidepressants I tried did not help --they just gave me side-effects.

I just added this information to my ever-growing page about sleep! :-)

--Jeanie aka "Naomi"
ItsNotMental-Sleep
Older dd: formerly(?) teen-onset bipolar (morphed into ultradian cycling): "Recovered" after over 13 years - stable off psych meds almost two years. Now fine on just diet changes and higher thyroid levels (after healing - addressing gut issues/Candidal overgrowth while using EMPowerPlus and other supplements). She added EMpowerPlus back on just because she feels better on it - gets sick less often.
Younger dd: formerly(?) Childhood-onset schizoaffective, TS, OCD, anxiety, PTSD, migraines. After over 15 years, is now "recovered" for almost 5 years after treating endocrine issues, food sensitivities, gut issues, sleep issues, nutritional/mitochondrial needs.

I started taking SAMe myself about 2 weeks ago for high histamine.  200 mg was not doing it so I am inching my way to 400 and adding a couple other things.  So it has not helped my allergies yet, but my energy level during the day is AWESOME and I am happy.  No more daytime sleepiness and low motivation.  Darryl, are you suggesting that it should not be taken at night?   I want to try to get off my Lunesta, but Melatonin never worked for me.  I read that people with high histamine can try inositol and I am going to try that.  Makes sense bc I cannot shut my mind off at night. I have been on RX sleep meds since I was 14, so it is hard to go natural.  Any other ideas?

Vitamin Shoppe did not have Nutra Sleep but they had another product made by them that is very similar in nature.  I gave that to Brandon last night.  I bought the tryptophan, but I wanted to give it a few days of just trying the other before trying both.  I am afraid to give him SAMe bc Brandon has low histamine.  I am kinda worried about how it makes me feel too and afraid that will tip him on the edge of mania.

--

Kim 33 Co-Mod Military with Katie and Heather
brandonsmom_1996@msn.com
Army wife and BSW student
PLMS, Insomnia, Severe D-IBS, Special diet
Iron and Mirapex for PLMS, Lunesta, Zyrtec
Brandon 15, BP 1, ADHD, Schizoaffective?, PDD?, IgG allergic gluten, casein, soy, eggs, peanuts
EMPower Plus 5 caps TID, AminoPowerPlus 4 BID, Lamictal (weaning), Synthroid, Melatonin 6-12 mg
8th grade (held back) homeschooled-Meridell Achievement Center 4/28- 9/25
Chris, 34 dh since 9/10, Army
Cheeto the cat: Hyperthyroidism (radioactive iodine 2/8), Separation Anxiety, and Chronic UTIs, rx diet Mystic: The princess of the house and HATES Brandon
Jackson: Lab, DOB 1/13/11, training to be psychiatric service dog eventually
Fort Bragg, NC
FROM TBMF: Do not start, stop, or change medications or other treatments for yourself or your child based on what you read on this Website or elsewhere on the Internet.

 For waht it's worth, Ds can't take his aminos at bedtime because it keeps him from falling to sleep.  He takes them before dinner (5pm) and the melatonin at 7 for a lights out at 8.  Taking the aminos any later is disasterous for us.

--

Kimberly, 47, mom to E: ADHD, Sensory Integration Disorder and Intermittent Explosive Disorder taking Empower Plus, Aminos, Inositol, Choline Bitartrate, Salmon oil, and Vitamin C; melatonin at bedtime.

DH, 46

We actually were running out of aminos and he was only getting two at bedtime, his sleep was horribly affected by the lesser amount, so I know that they help.  He seems to be sleeping good with the new mix. I need to consider giving it a little bit earlier tho.

--

Kim 33 Co-Mod Military with Katie and Heather
brandonsmom_1996@msn.com
Army wife and BSW student
PLMS, Insomnia, Severe D-IBS, Special diet
Iron and Mirapex for PLMS, Lunesta, Zyrtec
Brandon 15, BP 1, ADHD, Schizoaffective?, PDD?, IgG allergic gluten, casein, soy, eggs, peanuts
EMPower Plus 5 caps TID, AminoPowerPlus 4 BID, Lamictal (weaning), Synthroid, Melatonin 6-12 mg
8th grade (held back) homeschooled-Meridell Achievement Center 4/28- 9/25
Chris, 34 dh since 9/10, Army
Cheeto the cat: Hyperthyroidism (radioactive iodine 2/8), Separation Anxiety, and Chronic UTIs, rx diet Mystic: The princess of the house and HATES Brandon
Jackson: Lab, DOB 1/13/11, training to be psychiatric service dog eventually
Fort Bragg, NC
FROM TBMF: Do not start, stop, or change medications or other treatments for yourself or your child based on what you read on this Website or elsewhere on the Internet.