Melatonin
Sleep is one of the most important aspects of health. It impacts everything from your mental clarity to your immune system’s efficiency. Getting a good night’s rest is important for both physical and emotional well-being. It helps repair muscles, consolidate memories and regulate emotions.[1] Waking up after a bad night can throw your whole day off.
In today’s busy, high-stress world, it can be hard to get quality sleep. Maybe you scroll on your phone in bed or drink a few too many cups of coffee during the day. These habits can make it hard to relax. One way to get back on track with a consistent sleep pattern is with natural sleep supplements like melatonin.
But can you take melatonin every night? And how long does melatonin take to work? Read on to learn how taking melatonin for sleep can help transform your nighttime routine for the better.
What Is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland. It plays an important role in regulating your body’s sleep-wake cycle.[2] It signals the body to prepare for sleep as the light of day fades. This means it is an essential component of sleep hygiene. Your body produces melatonin when it’s dark. Doing so gets you ready to wind down by lowering your body temperature and making you feel drowsy.[3]
In the next section, we’ll explore how melatonin offers a range of health benefits. These perks underscore melatonin’s importance in maintaining wellness.
Melatonin Benefits
Melatonin offers a range of advantages that support your well-being. These include:
Better Sleep
Antioxidants
Melatonin has antioxidant properties. It scavenges free radicals and up-regulates antioxidant enzymes in the body.[6] In doing so, it helps protect cells from oxidative stress and damage. These are linked to various chronic conditions and aging processes. Melatonin’s antioxidant properties are especially beneficial for brain health.[7]
Eye Health
Melatonin contributes to eye health primarily through its antioxidant properties. It helps protect the eyes from oxidative damage.[8] This is crucial for preventing age-related degeneration and preserving retinal health. In addition, melatonin regulates sleep cycles. This can improve your eye health by ensuring proper rest and recovery for your eye tissues.
Regulates Mood
Your body’s circadian rhythms are tied to your emotional and psychological well-being. Melatonin helps ensure that both your brain and body have adequate rest. This is crucial for maintaining a stable mood.[9] Disruptions in melatonin production can interfere with your sleep and make it difficult to manage your emotions.
Next, discover scientific studies on the effects of melatonin on your health.
The Science-Backed Benefits of Melatonin
Healthy Weight
Melatonin could support weight loss, according to a scientific study.[10] Participants received either 3 milligrams of melatonin or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. This was done alongside a prescribed weight-loss diet. The study showed that both groups experienced significant reductions in body weight. However, the losses were more pronounced in the melatonin group. Plus, only the melatonin group showed a significant decrease in body fat mass percentage.
Digestion
For people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), melatonin could help improve gastrointestinal symptoms.[11] Participants took 6 milligrams of melatonin daily for two months. They showed significant improvements in IBS scores. And those with sleep disorders experienced marked improvements in various sleep parameters. This highlights melatonin’s potential as a multifaceted treatment option for IBS patients.
Fatigue
Finally, melatonin could enhance quality of life for certain patients with post-treatment fatigue.[12] In this study, both the melatonin and placebo groups had similar fatigue levels to start. Over time, though, the melatonin group reported significantly lower fatigue scores. This suggests melatonin is effective in managing fatigue related to certain treatment therapies. This could help improve well-being.
The Bulletproof Approach to Melatonin
We believe good health is built on the foundation of restorative sleep. Melatonin isn’t just a supplement. It’s a vital hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. It is essential for recovery, resilience and optimal brain function.
Spotlight on Melatonin
Making sure you have the right melatonin levels can help you fall asleep faster and sleep better. In turn, that can support improved daily performance and long-term health. If you’re curious to try melatonin supplements, Sleep Gummies and Sleep Mode are two great options.
Each serving of sugar-free Sleep Gummies contains a blend of science-backed ingredients. These include L-theanine, GABA and melatonin. They work together to promote relaxation. They also help reduce stress and regulate your sleep-wake cycle. L-theanine and GABA help calm your mind and body and prepare you for sleep. Plus, when you wake up, you won’t feel the lingering grogginess you could get from sleep aids.
If you prefer soft gels, Sleep Mode might be for you. Its ingredients include plant-sourced, bioidentical melatonin. This mimics the body’s natural melatonin. It can help you fall asleep faster without the hangover effects you might get from synthetic melatonin. It also features L-ornithine. This is an amino acid that helps reduce stress and promote deeper, more restorative sleep. Sleep Mode also contains Brain Octane C8 MCT Oil to fuel your brain and support ketosis. Take a capsule 30 minutes before bedtime.
By integrating melatonin into your nighttime routine, you’re not solely aiming for more shuteye. You’re striving for better quality sleep that enhances your energy, mood and well-being. We see melatonin as a key component of a holistic lifestyle that empowers you to thrive, not just survive.
Our Supplement Testing Standards
We uphold the highest quality and safety standards for all our products. We select ingredients backed by the latest research from peer-reviewed journals. And we ensure those ingredients are potent and effective. We rigorously test our products to check ingredient identity, purity and strength. This thorough approach ensures the integrity and efficacy of our products.
We work with accredited third-party labs to conduct scientific testing. These labs help us ensure our products adhere to FDA regulations. They also help us meet our high safety and quality standards. We analyze every production lot’s physical and chemical properties. We do this to make sure each product is effective and safe. Working with third-party labs ensures unbiased testing and validation. It also reinforces our commitment to delivering health and wellness products you can count on.
Learn More About Melatonin
FAQs
For most adults, a dose of 0.5 to 5 milligrams taken 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime is enough. Start with the lowest possible dose. Gradually increase it if necessary. This helps you assess your body’s response and limit potential side effects.
It depends on the dosage you take and how your body metabolizes melatonin. Typically, melatonin has a short half-life of about 40 to 60 minutes. This means your body processes it relatively quickly. However, the overall effects of melatonin can last from 3 to 5 hours. This timeframe is generally enough to help you fall asleep and stay asleep for a part of the night.
Additionally, the form of melatonin can influence how long the effects last. An extended-release formulation, for example, prolongs the effects of melatonin. In this case, you’re less likely to wake up in the middle of the night. For optimal effectiveness, choose the form of melatonin that best suits your specific sleep needs.
Melatonin is generally safe, but it’s possible to take too much. This can lead to an overdose. Melatonin overdose isn’t typically life-threatening. However, it can lead to unpleasant side effects. Common symptoms of taking too much melatonin include headaches and dizziness. An overdose can also cause nausea, drowsiness during the day or irritability. In some cases, excessive melatonin can also disrupt your sleep-wake cycle. This could create more sleep disturbances. Use melatonin as directed. Start with a low dose and increase only if necessary.
No. Melatonin does not cause dependency, which is common with other sleep aids. People who use melatonin typically do not experience cravings or withdrawal symptoms when they stop using it. However, it is possible to become reliant on melatonin psychologically if you believe you can’t sleep without it. This reliance is more about habit formation rather than a physical addiction. Use melatonin as recommended. Take it on a short-term basis or occasionally to avoid becoming dependent on it for sleep.
Melatonin may indirectly help with anxiety, especially if the anxiety is related to sleep disturbances.[13] As a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle, melatonin can improve sleep quality and duration. This, in turn, may reduce anxiety. Better sleep helps regulate mood, decrease stress and improve emotional resilience. All these effects are beneficial for managing anxiety. That said, melatonin is not a primary treatment for anxiety disorders. It can help ease some symptoms of anxiety through its sleep-promoting effects. However, melatonin does not address the underlying causes of anxiety.
Yes. Tart cherries and cherry juice are rich in melatonin and enhance sleep. Almonds, walnuts and fatty fish, like salmon and mackerel also contain melatonin. So do grains such as rice, barley, and oats. Warm milk also provides this sleep-promoting hormone. By incorporating these foods[14] into your diet, you can increase melatonin and support better sleep.
Research suggests that melatonin may have beneficial effects on the gut microbiome.[15] Melatonin is present in the gastrointestinal tract. It influences gut motility and the production of local antioxidants. Studies show that melatonin can help soothe gut inflammation. It can also help reduce gut permeability. In this way, melatonin may enhance nutrient absorption and digestive health.