Hi again Appletree

Yes low cortisol can be a sign of adrenal fatigue and you're right Adrenal Fatigue is still not recognized by many doctors. That's probably partly because there is such a variation in individuals of the levels and also because it mimics so many other conditions. How did your chiropractor diagnose the adrenal fatigue - was he going by your symptoms. On the other hand Adrenal Insufficiency (Addison's Disease) is a rare and serious condition (potentially fatal if not treated).

If you decide to get cortisol serum testing done make sure it is an 8am fasting test - if that is low then they may want more testing done to exclude Addison's. If this happens please feel free to ask me for more info and I can direct you to sites I've found useful.

Melatonin can be effective if the problem is not a physiological disorder (ie: if it's due more to stress than a physical cause). You're right to try and stay off the sleeping meds if possible until you find the cause. Many are recommended for short term use only and can be addictive and hard to get off if used for long periods. That said they have their place for occasional use to either break a pattern of poor sleep or just to get a decent night's sleep here and there to keep going. Be aware that there can be side effects - I had similar sleep patterns to you for a long time and during a particularly difficult spell was prescribed Ambien (Zopiclone). I use it sparingly partly because I wake up feeling like I've got a 'hangover' the next morning.

As Lara suggested a sleep study might be a good idea - can't hurt.