IMPORTANT NOTE: This is not a medical site. You should always discuss medical matters with your doctor.

Melatonin and Sleep

Miracle Insomnia Cure?

Over recent years melatonin (N-Acetyl-5-Methoxytryptamine) has been greeted as something of a miracle cure, not just for insomnia but many other conditions. You can buy melatonin supplements from many sources in liquid or capsule form.

As with all supplements, if you have any medical condition then you should discuss this with your doctor before taking melatonin. In particular it is vital that you consult your doctor before taking melatonin if you suffer from any immune system disorder, have severe allergies or are pregnant.

Melatonin is part of the body's natural "body clock" that regulates our sleep cycle (part of our circadian rhythm). If melatonin levels are depressed then sleep disturbance might occur. Similarly, melatonin supplements have been said to help cure insomnia and other sleep disorders such as jet lag. Melatonin is also a powerful anti-oxidant.

Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland through a process involving serotonin, itself a tryptophan product. Someone suffering from a tryptophan or serotonin deficiency might therefore be more prone to melatonin deficiency.

The pineal gland stores melatonin during the day then releases it towards night. This release is triggered naturally by lowering of light levels, which is perhaps one reason why in our light polluted modern cities so many of us have trouble sleeping properly.

Dosage and timing are very important to successful melatonin use. Only a small amount is needed and should usually be taken just once a day, up to an hour before bedtime. If you decide that melatonin supplements are for you, always read the manufacturer's information and instructions carefully.

Too high a dosage of melatonin can have potentially serious side-effects, including hypothermia, daytime drowiness and a "hangover" effect. An excess of melatonin has also been linked to the depresive condition Seasonal Affective Disorder.

One study at least suggests that even "normal" dosage can produce side-effects in some ten percent of the population. These include nightmares, headaches and reduced sex drive.

Do not give any medical supplement to children without seeking qualified advice.

Meta-research published in the British medical Journal in 2006 (1) cast doubt on the effectiveness of melatonin to combat "either sleep onset latency or sleep efficiency in people with jet lag or people with shiftwork disorder".


IMPORTANT NOTE: This is not a medical site. You should always discuss medical matters with your doctor.


References:
(1) Efficacy and safety of exogenous melatonin for secondary sleep disorders and sleep disorders accompanying sleep restriction: meta-analysis

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