Is melatonin safe and effective?
“Innocent sleep. Sleep that soothes away all our worries. Sleep that puts each day to rest. Sleep that relieves the weary laborer and heals hurt minds. Sleep, the main course in life’s feast, and the most nourishing.”
― William Shakespeare, Macbeth
DO YOU HAVE TROUBLE SLEEPING? If yes, you may want to hear about a new investigation by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine that looks into melatonin’s safety. While the review is underway, the academy recommends that melatonin not be used for insomnia in adults or children.
The sleep hormone melatonin is a central part of the body’s sleep-wake cycle. Its production increases with evening darkness, promoting healthy sleep and helping to orient our circadian rhythm.
Sleep medicines — categories
Insomnia is a common complaint among adults who seek medical advice. Medicines should not be the only approach for management. However, they may play a role in an integrated approach that includes behavioral strategies and the management of other relevant medical conditions (co-morbidities).
Substances used to treat problems with sleep in adults fall into four general categories:
- Medicines approved for insomnia management
- Off-label prescription medicines prescribed for insomnia
- Over-the-counter sleep aids
- Diet supplements (for example, melatonin)
Today, we focus on melatonin for those with isolated sleep-onset insomnia. I mean people who have challenges falling asleep at their desired time, those who take more than 30 minutes before falling asleep (but do okay once they are asleep).
Many individuals want to avoid the potential side effects of prescribed medicines; they turn to over-the-counter remedies such as melatonin. But does melatonin work, and are there dangers associated with it?
“People say, ‘I’m going to sleep now,’ as if it were nothing. But it’s really a bizarre activity. ‘For the next several hours, while the sun is gone, I’m going to become unconscious, temporarily losing command over everything I know and understand. When the sun returns, I will resume my life.’”
Is melatonin safe and effective?
As night arrives, the so-called vampire hormone melatonin begins to rise. The tiny pineal gland (at the back of your head) schedules melatonin release. When released, melatonin signals the body that it is time to sleep.
On the other hand, as the sun rises and light appears, melatonin levels drop, and we awaken. Melatonin production declines as we age. As children become teens at the other end of life, nocturnal melatonin release is delayed, and a teenager begins to have later times for sleep and awakening.
Individuals often use melatonin as an oral supplement, typically for sleep disorders. Some use it for insomnia, while others try it for jet lag. But is melatonin effective?
The Mayo Clinic (USA) explains that clinical research is available for conditions such as:
- Circadian rhythm sleep disorders in the blind
- Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder. The sleep pattern is delayed two hours or more from a typical sleep pattern, causing you to go to sleep and awaken later. Melatonin can drop the time needed to fall asleep. Please chat with your child’s doctor before giving melatonin to a child.
- Insomnia. Melatonin may slightly drop the time it takes to fall asleep, but its effects on sleep quality and total sleep time aren’t well-known. The hormone may be more helpful for older adults who may be deficient in melatonin.
- Jet lag. Melatonin can improve jet lag problems, including diminished alertness and daytime sleepiness.
- Shift work disorder. It’s unclear whether melatonin can improve daytime sleep quality and duration in people who work outside a more traditional morning to evening schedule.
- Sleep disorders in children. Small studies hint that melatonin might help treat sleep disturbances in children with some disabilities. However, the adoption of good bedtime habits is often the initial management. Please chat with your child’s doctor before considering melatonin for them.
Melatonin may improve evening restlessness and confusion in people with Alzheimer’s, but it does not help cognition.
Melatonin: Is it effective? Safe? Please use this free link to Medium.com to learn more:
