The Truth About Taking Melatonin To Help You Sleep
Its been a rough day and you must wake up early tomorrow for a breakfast meeting, so you take a melatonin pill, brush your teeth and crawl into bed. Then you stare at the ceiling. And stare. And stare.
Neurologist and sleep medicine specialist John Andrefsky, MD isnt surprised.
Melatonin decreases sleep latency by about six minutes, which is not a lot of time considering people sometimes cant fall asleep for 45 minutes, an hour or two hours, he says. Melatonin affects when you fall asleep, not how quickly.
Dr. Andrefsky says melatonin is more useful in mitigating jetlag than in curing chronic insomnia, so it can be an effective tool for people who travel leisurely or for business.
What Are The Benefits Of Melatonin
Melatonin is largely used to improve and help regulate sleep cycles and, in some small studies, it was noted as a promising supplement for helping with jet lag and non-chronic insomnia. It can also be effective in helping people with a delayed sleep-wake cycle and might be helpful for those who work night shifts. The supplement may also help with sleep disorders in children, but it shouldnt be given to a child without first consulting their pediatrician.
Melatonin supplements can also help ease anxiety in patients before surgery, but there isnt enough research to tell whether it helps with anxiety afterward or in general.
What Are The Side Effects Of Melatonin
Short-term use of melatonin has relatively few side effects and is well-tolerated by the majority of people who take it. The most commonly reported side effects are daytime drowsiness, headaches, and dizziness, but these are experienced by only a small percentage of people who take melatonin.
In children, the reported side effects of short-term use are similar as in adults. Some children may experience agitation or an increased risk of bedwetting when using melatonin.
For both children and adults, talking with a doctor before taking melatonin can help prevent possible allergic reactions or harmful interactions with other medications. People taking anti-epilepsy and blood thinning medications, in particular, should ask their physician about potential drug interactions.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends against melatonin use in people with dementia, and there is little research about its safety in women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
There is also very little data about the long-term effects of melatonin supplements in children or adults. There is some concern that sustained use of melatonin could affect the onset of puberty in children, but research so far is inconclusive. Because the long-term effects are unknown, people should maintain an ongoing conversation with their doctor about using melatonin and the quality of their sleep and overall health.
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Additional Steps To Improve Sleep
People with sleeping problems can benefit from taking steps to develop healthy sleep habits. Even if melatonin offers relief, improving their sleep routines and environment known collectively as sleep hygiene can promote durable sleep quality improvement.
Talking with a doctor about melatonin and sleeping problems can also help reveal whether a person has an underlying sleep disorder. For example, raising poor sleep issues or excessive sleepiness may uncover a problem like sleep apnea. Melatonin isnt a therapy for sleep apnea, but in this scenario, working with the doctor can lead to more appropriate and effective treatments.
Reasons To Be Cautious About Melatonin
Your sleep-deprived friends may swear by it and you’ve probably read about it online or seen it on drugstore shelves. But is melatonin all it’s cracked up to be, or are you better off just counting sheep to get some ZZZs?
First, the basics: Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone in the brain that your body uses to help regulate your circadian rhythm. That’s the 24-hour body clock that, among other vital functions, tells you when to sleep and when to wake up each day.
Your body gradually starts making melatonin about two hours before bedtime, bringing on that familiar drowsy feeling, and production continues throughout the night. In fact, melatonin is often called the “Dracula of hormones” because levels rise when it gets dark outside. As sunrise approaches, levels begin to drop, letting you know it’s time to rise for the day.
Given melatonin’s essential role in the body’s internal clockworks, many people assume the supplement is safe. This may be one reason why it has become the fourth most popular supplement among U.S. adults, according to a National Health Interview Survey. Its use doubled between 2007 and 2012, as more than three million adults reported taking the sleep aid.
And it is true: Melatonin is generally harmless – at least if you take it for a short period of time.
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Melatonin Dosage For Older Adults
Our melatonin levels naturally , disrupting the sleep-wake cycles for many older adults. As a result, older adults may have an increased sensitivity to melatonin. In a meta-analysis of 16 studies, melatonin dosages between 0.1 milligram and 50 milligrams per kilogram were administered to older adults aged 55 to 77 years old. In all of the studies, the melatonin levels remained higher among the older adults when compared to younger adults and stayed higher for a longer period of time leading to increased daytime drowsiness. The more melatonin the person took, the more pronounced these effects.
As a result, researchers recommend older adults start with the lowest dose of melatonin possible. Lower doses may help older adults sleep better without disrupting their circadian rhythms and causing prolonged drowsiness.
Older adults with dementia should avoid melatonin, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Protective Role Of Melatonin In Lung Diseases
The fatal consequence of SARS-CoV-2 infection is pneumonia, resulting in respiratory insufficiency, and probably the most prominent long-term effect of COVID-19 is disability resulting from an injury of the lungs. Therefore, it is noteworthy that melatonin in animal models appears to be a therapeutic/protective agent in acute and chronic pulmonary diseases.
From a clinical point of view, the crucial area for melatonin use in the treatment of severe COVID-19 is related to its action in preventing diffuse alveolar damage . DAD is considered the histological hallmark for the acute phase of acute respiratory distress syndrome . Numerous experimental studies in animal models have shown a beneficial effect of melatonin on lung tissue . It was shown that melatonin improved the histopathology of pulmonary contusion and distant organs. Ozdinc et al. found that in rats treated with melatonin, histopathological changes resulting from pulmonary contusion were less severe than in non-treated animals. The authors suggested that this is the effect of the antioxidant properties of the neurohormone . Moreover, melatonin reduces leukocyte and macrophage infiltration, interstitial hemorrhages, epithelial desquamation in bronchioles and alveoli, and an intra alveolar edema .
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How Long Does It Take For Melatonin To Kick In
With the recommended dose of melatonin , it takes around one to two hours to induce sleep. Hence, you should take melatonin supplements two hours before your bedtime.
If you want to take melatonin to avoid getting jetlag, you need to start taking the pills a few days before you make your trip. Once you reach the new time zone, take the melatonin sleeping aid two hours before you go to bed.
Melatonin & Sleep: How The Darkness Hormone Controls Your Sleep
Melatonin is the single most-used natural sleep aid in existence. It is found in practically every pre-made sleep stack, it is a top-selling standalone supplement, and it is the first thing that people try to manipulate when they try to improve their sleeping patterns.
This makes perfect sense.
When it comes to naturally enhancing sleep, melatonin should be one of the first things you think about, if not the first.
It is without question one of the biggest determinants of your sleeping patterns.
Melatonin levels determine:
But that doesnt necessarily mean that it makes for a good sleep aid.
Just because something has a certain role in the body does not mean that supplementing with said substance produces those same effects.
Like with so many other substances, there is nowhere near enough information online regarding melatonin supplements, how they work, and how well they work compared to other natural sleep aids!
Were going to try to rectify that.
In the article below we will explain exactly what melatonin is, what it does in the body, and what that means for your sleeping patterns. We will discuss the use of melatonin as a supplement using the latest scientific literature as a guide, well tell you whether or not melatonin supplements work, and how well they work compared to placebo.
If you have any questions about using melatonin for sleep, please post them in the comments section at the end.
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Data Sources And Search Strategy
PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PsycInfo, and Agricola databases were searched from database inception until October 2012 for RCTs investigating the relationship between melatonin and healthy sleep behaviors. Authors explored MeSH terminology within MEDLINE and consulted with three subject matter experts to not only strategize the most powerful search, but to also ensure the correct key terms were being targeted for the research question proposed. The following search strategy was conducted in PubMed, and MeSH was applied where applicable: and . Following traditional REAL methodology, which includes the assessment of RCTs involving humans and published in the English language, all searches were conducted using these parameters. Where this was not a limit option in certain databases, citations were screened for these criteria.
Melatonin Dosage For Children
Short-term use of melatonin in small doses appears to be safe and well-tolerated by most children. The effective dosage for children ranges from 0.05 milligrams per kilogram to 5 milligrams of melatonin. When children experience side effects from taking melatonin, theyre typically mild and may include:
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Medical professionals may recommend melatonin for children with conditions that affect their sleep, such as insomnia, autism spectrum disorder, or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Several studies have shown melatonin supplements can significantly improve overall sleep times by 25 minutes to 48 minutes, on average, for children with these conditions.
However, there havent been enough studies of melatonin in children for experts to determine an official recommended dosage or any potential long-term safety risks. Since melatonin is a hormone, its possible that taking supplemental melatonin could affect other aspects of hormone development in children, but further research is needed.
If your child is having sleep problems, experts recommend consulting your doctor before giving them melatonin. Research indicates that for half of the cases where melatonin was used to treat pediatric insomnia, better sleep habits were just as effective at relieving the childs sleep problems.
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What Are The Forms Of Melatonin
Over-the-counter melatonin supplements are available in doses of 1-10 mg. Melatonin is sold as a dietary supplement and is not regulated by the FDA. So, it is possible for the content of the supplement to differ from what is listed on the product label. Before you take melatonin be sure the brand is reputable and discuss taking this and any supplement with your doctor. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine states that melatonin supplements appear to be safe. There is no evidence of serious risks related to their use, but the long-term effects are unknown.
Snacks and beverages marketed as relaxation or chill out products containing various doses of melatonin along with other ingredients also are available. These products are not regulated by the FDA and are not guaranteed to be effective.
Before Taking This Medicine
Do not use melatonin if you are allergic to it.
Before using this medication, talk to your healthcare provider. You may not be able to use this medication if you have certain medical conditions, such as:
- diabetes
- a bleeding or blood clotting disorder such as hemophilia
- taking a blood thinner like warfarin
- high or low blood pressure
- epilepsy or other seizure disorder
- if you are using any medicine to prevent organ transplant rejection
- an autoimmune condition
- using other sedatives or tranquilizers
It is not known whether this medication will harm an unborn baby. Do not use this product without medical advice if you are pregnant.
High doses of this medicine may affect ovulation, making it difficult for you to get pregnant.
It is not known whether melatonin passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this product without medical advice if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Do not give any herbal/health supplement to a child without medical advice.
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Melatonin: Benefits Uses Side Effects And Dosage
Melatonin is a common dietary supplement that has gained widespread popularity around the globe.
Though renowned as a natural sleep aid, it also has powerful effects on other aspects of your health.
This article reviews the benefits and potential side effects of melatonin, as well as its best dosage.
Its primarily responsible for regulating your bodys circadian rhythm to manage your natural sleep cycle .
Therefore, its often used as a sleep aid to combat issues like insomnia.
Its widely available in the US as an over-the-counter medication but requires a prescription in other parts of the world, such as Europe and Australia.
In addition to improving sleep, melatonin is also involved in managing immune function, blood pressure and cortisol levels .
Plus, it acts as an antioxidant, with some research finding that it can significantly affect many health conditions.
In fact, studies show that melatonin may improve eye health, reduce symptoms of seasonal depression and even provide relief from acid reflux .
Summary
Melatonin is a hormone responsible for regulating your bodys sleep cycle. Its also associated with other health benefits.
May Support Eye Health
Healthy indole-derived melatonin levels may support eye health.
It has powerful antioxidant benefits that could help lower the risk of eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration .
In one study, scientists asked 100 people with AMD to take 3 mg daily of melatonin over 6 to 24 months. Taking melatonin daily seems to protect the retinas and delay damage from AMD, without any significant side effects (
Future studies will help clarify how effective melatonin is in treating stomach ulcers and heartburn.
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Make Sure You Are Getting What The Label Says
Before you buy melatonin, its important to make sure you are getting it from a reputable place. The F.D.A. does not regulate supplements, Dr. Kolla said. So youre trusting the manufacturer in terms of the dosing.
A 2017 study in the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that the melatonin content of dietary supplements often varies widely from what is listed on the label. The study found that even within the same batch of product, variability of the melatonin varied by as much as 465 percent.
Without governmental oversight, there really isnt a way to ensure the levels of melatonin advertised on the package are accurate. Therefore, Dr. Kolla recommends looking for a GLP or GMP label on the product. Both labels refer to federal regulations designed to affirm a product has the quality and purity that appear on its label. He says this provides some assurance that you are getting close to what the label says youre getting.
What To Consider Before Using Melatonin
Those considering the use of melatonin should speak with their health care provider to determine if the supplement is right for them, as well as the appropriate dosage. Consider the following before taking melatonin:
Side effects: While melatonin is typically well-tolerated, some people experience dizziness, headaches, nausea and daytime sleepiness. Children have also been found to experience these symptoms in addition to the possibility of bed-wetting and overall agitation. Additional reported side effects include vivid dreams or nightmares, stomach cramps, decreased libido, reduced sperm count and male breast enlargement .
Allergic reactions: Melatonin can cause allergic reactions and interfere with medications. People taking prescription medication should not take melatonin without first discussing it with their doctor.
Mental disorders: Melatonin is not recommended for use by people with dementia, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and it may worsen symptoms in anyone suffering from depression.
Pregnancy: Medical experts recommend pregnant people do not take melatonin, as there isnt enough research to determine how it may interfere with fertility, pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Hormone-related issues: As melatonin is a hormone, experts suggest those with hormone-related issues consult their doctor before use. People with hormone-related issues should only use melatonin under medical supervision.
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Eat These 10 Foods High In Melatonin For Better Sleep
Have you ever used melatonin to help yourself get a good nights sleep? Nowadays, melatonin is practically a household name for its use as a natural sleep aid. But pills and gummies arent the only way for you to supplement your bodys melatonin did you know you can get melatonin from the foods you eat too?
Its true! Some foods are high in sleep-promoting compounds such as tryptophan, magnesium, and yes, melatonin. Eating these foods can help you get a better nights sleep by naturally boosting your bodys melatonin level, but be careful there are some foods you will want to avoid also.
Is Melatonin Safe To Take Every Night
Americans arent sleeping well. Roughly 80% of U.S. adults say they struggle to fall asleep at least one night a week, according to a recent Consumer Reports survey. And research has found that sleep problems are also on the rise among adolescents.
While the causes of Americas sleep woes are up for debate, theres little disagreement about Americas favorite remedy: Melatonin, the countrys most-used sleep aid.
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