A lot of people are affected by sleep disorders.
Although it is a common problem, poor sleep can have serious consequences.
Poor sleep can deplete your energy, lower your productivity, and increase your risk of diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes ( 1 ).
Melatonin is a hormone that tells your body when it's time to go to bed.
This article explains how melatonin works and how much to consume.
What is melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the body.
It is produced by the pineal gland in the brain, but also in other areas such as the eyes, bone marrow, and intestines ( 2 , 3 ).
It is often referred to as the "sleep hormone" because high levels can help you fall asleep.
However, melatonin itself will not directly put you to sleep. It simply lets your body know it's nighttime so you can relax and fall asleep more easily ( 4 ).
Melatonin supplements are popular among people struggling with insomnia and jet lag. You can get it without a prescription in many countries.
Melatonin is also a powerful antioxidant that can provide a variety of other benefits.
It can even help support eye health, treat stomach ulcers and heartburn, relieve tinnitus symptoms, and even increase growth hormone levels in men.
SUMMARY
Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the pineal gland. It helps you fall asleep by calming the body before bed.
How does melatonin work?
Melatonin works with your body's circadian rhythm .
In simple words, circadian rhythm is your body's internal clock. They know when it's time to sleep, wake up and eat.
Melatonin also helps regulate body temperature, blood pressure, and hormone levels ( 5 , 6 ).
Melatonin levels increase in your body when it is dark outside, signaling your body that it is time to sleep ( 7 ).
It also binds to receptors in the body and can help you relax. For example, melatonin binds to receptors in the brain to reduce nerve activity. In the eyes, it can help reduce levels of dopamine, a hormone that helps you stay awake ( 8 , 9 , 10 ).
Although the exact way melatonin helps you fall asleep is unclear, there is evidence that these processes can help you fall asleep .
Conversely, light suppresses melatonin production. This way, your body knows it’s time to wake up ( 11 ).
Because melatonin helps your body prepare for sleep, people who don't get enough of it at night may find it difficult to fall asleep.
There are many factors that can cause low levels at night. Stress, smoking, too much light at night (including blue light), too little daylight during the day, shift work, and aging affect melatonin production ( 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ).
Taking a melatonin supplement can help compensate for low levels and normalize the internal clock.
SUMMARY
Melatonin works closely with your body's circadian rhythm to prepare you for sleep. The level rises at night.
Melatonin can help you sleep
Taking melatonin before bed has been shown to help you fall asleep ( 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ).
In an analysis of 19 studies of people with sleep disorders, scientists found that melatonin shortened the time it took to fall asleep by an average of 7 minutes.
In many of these studies, people also reported significantly better sleep quality ( 19 ).
Melatonin can also help with jet lag , a temporary sleep disorder.
Jet lag occurs when your body's internal clock is out of sync with the new time zone. Shift workers may also experience jet lag symptoms because they work during a time that would normally be scheduled for sleep ( 20 ).
Melatonin can help reduce jet lag by synchronizing your internal clock with the time change ( 21 ).
For example, an analysis of 10 studies examined the effects of melatonin in people who crossed five or more time zones. The scientists found that melatonin is remarkably effective at reducing the effects of jet lag.
The analysis also found that both lower doses (0.5 mg) and higher doses (5 mg) were equally effective in reducing jet lag ( 22 ).
SUMMARY
Many studies show that melatonin can help you fall asleep faster. It can also help people with jet lag fall asleep.
5 More Health Benefits of Melatonin
Taking melatonin may also provide you with other health benefits.
1. May support eye health
Healthy melatonin levels can support eye health.
It has powerful antioxidant effects that may help reduce the risk of eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) ( 23 ).
In one study, scientists asked 100 people with AMD to take 3 mg of melatonin for 6 to 24 months. Taking melatonin daily helped protect the retina and delay AMD damage without causing any significant side effects ( 24 ).
2. May help treat stomach ulcers and heartburn
The antioxidant properties of melatonin may help treat stomach ulcers and relieve heartburn ( 25 , 26 , 27 ).
A study of 21 participants found that taking melatonin and tryptophan along with omeprazole—a common anti-reflux medication—helped heal stomach ulcers caused by the bacteria H. pylori ( 28 ).
In another study, 36 people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) were given either melatonin, omeprazole (a medicine that treats GERD), or a combination of both to treat GERD and its symptoms.
Melatonin helped reduce heartburn and was even more effective when combined with omeprazole ( 29 ).
However, this area of research is relatively new. Future studies will help clarify how effective melatonin is in treating stomach ulcers and heartburn.
3. Can reduce the symptoms of tinnitus
Tinnitus is a condition characterized by a constant ringing in the ears. It is often worse when there is less background noise, e.g. B. when you try to fall asleep.
Interestingly, taking melatonin can reduce the symptoms of tinnitus and help you fall asleep ( 30 , 31 , 32 ).
In one study, 61 adults with tinnitus took 3 mg of melatonin before bed for 30 days. It helped reduce the effects of tinnitus and significantly improve sleep quality ( 32 ).
4. May help increase growth hormone levels in men
Human growth hormone is naturally released during sleep. In healthy young men, taking melatonin can increase growth hormone levels.
Studies have shown that melatonin makes the pituitary gland, the organ that releases growth hormone, more sensitive to the hormone that releases growth hormone ( 33 , 34 ).
Additionally, studies have shown that both lower (0.5 mg) and higher (5.0 mg) doses of melatonin stimulate growth hormone release ( 34 ).
5. May help with seasonal affective disorder
Seasonal depression is commonly referred to as the “winter blues” or seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Some evidence shows that seasonal depression is influenced by lighting changes and sleep cycles ( 36 ).
Melatonin, in turn, might help reduce symptoms of seasonal affective disorder by supporting the sleep cycle ( 37 , 38 ).
However, the evidence is not entirely clear. Future studies will help clarify whether melatonin might be useful for treating seasonal affective disorder.
SUMMARY
Melatonin can support eye health, relieve tinnitus symptoms, treat stomach ulcers and heartburn, increase growth hormone levels in young men, and help with seasonal depression.
Order melatonin in our shop!
✅ High dosage: 1 mg melatonin for faster sleep and improved regeneration!
✅ Melatonin can relieve feelings of jet lag!
✅ Additionally: GABA, L-glutamine, L-tryptophan, zinc citrate, vitamin B6 + B3 strengthens the sleep aid!
Side effects of melatonin
Current evidence suggests that melatonin supplements are safe, non-toxic, and non-addictive ( 39 ).
That being said, some people may experience mild side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, headache, and nausea.
Melatonin can also interact with various medications. These include blood thinners, blood pressure medications, and antidepressants ( 40 , 41 , 42 ).
If you are taking any of the above, it is best to speak to your doctor before you start taking them.
There are also concerns that taking too much melatonin will stop your body from making it naturally. However, several studies have shown that taking melatonin does not affect the body's ability to produce it on its own ( 43 , 44 , 45 ).
SUMMARY
Current studies show that melatonin is safe, non-toxic and non-addictive. However, it can interact with blood thinners, blood pressure medications, and antidepressants.
More tips to help you fall asleep better
Conclusion
Melatonin is an effective supplement that can help you sleep, especially if you suffer from insomnia or jet lag. It may also have other health benefits.
If you want to try melatonin, start with a lower dose of 0.5-1 mg taken 30 minutes before bed. If this doesn't work, you can increase your dose to 3 to 5 mg
Order melatonin in our shop!
✅ High dosage: 1 mg melatonin for faster sleep and improved regeneration!
✅ Melatonin can relieve feelings of jet lag!
✅ Additionally: GABA, L-glutamine, L-tryptophan, zinc citrate, vitamin B6 + B3 strengthens the sleep aid!
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