If youre having trouble sleeping,melatoninis a popular and easy remedy.
Its also misunderstood, though: melatonin is not a traditional sleeping pill.
You know, your eyeballs.
Melatonin supplements add to the amount of melatonin circulating in our blood.
Even small doses from pills, around 0.5 milligrams, can boost the amount circulating in our body.
Most melatonin pills are between 0.5 and 5 milligrams.
Higher amounts arent necessary; the signal doesnt seem to depend on dose.
(Imagine shouting to someone that its nighttime, versus telling them in a quiet voice.
Theyll get the message either way.)
But its effect on shifting the body clock is much stronger and more reliable.
That means that sometimes it can do the opposite of what you want.
This effect may be partly responsible for some of the confusion over how well melatonin works.
Vox recentlyreportedon several reviews of melatonin studies.
These different studies may be hiding a real effect that only applies to people with certain body clock issues.Dr.
Besides DSPS, melatonin may help with other circadian rhythm disruptions.
A Cochrane review found that melatoninis remarkably effective for travelers with jet lag, especially people traveling east.
Should You Take Melatonin?
Even if your problem is one that melatonin can help with, melatonin isnt the only answer.
Dont forget to consider other reasons why you might be having trouble sleeping.
Do you have asensible sleep scheduleand abedtime routinethat gets you in the mood to sleep?
confirm to cover those bases, too.
Insomnia can also be a symptom ofother medical or mental problems, including depression, anxiety, andsleep apnea.
One concern is that long-term usemight affect the hormones involved in puberty.
Melatonin can also interfere with how your bodyprocesses other drugs, including birth control.
As always, its wisest to discuss your situation with your doctor.
Its considered a prescription drug in many other places,including much of Europe.
Because its a supplement, ourFood and Drug Administrationdoesnt keep a close eye on how the pills are produced.
Supplements are alwaysa bit of a gamble, so keep that in mind.
I asked a few people who use melatonin regularly how they would describe the feeling.
All agreed that it didnt make them sleepy in the morning, either.
One complaint I heard a few times was that it gave peopleextremely vivid dreams.
So melatonin is a real drug that may help you sleepdepending on exactly why youre not sleeping.
Illustration by Angelica Alzona.
