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Most people know melatonin as a supplement to help you sleep with bonus anti-oxidant benefits. It has a reputation for being safe and effective. But should you really be taking it every night?
We take a look at naturally occuring melatonin, the safety of melatonin supplements, and alternative non-drug sleep enhancing options.
What Is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain. It plays various roles in the human body, but is primarily known for regulating the circadian rhythm, or the sleep-wake cycle in humans.
But, it’s not only the sleep wake cycle that it controls. Melatonin is also useful in regulating hormonal cycles linked to menstruation and fertility.
Furthermore, melatonin has been shown to be a powerful antioxidant. It fights free radicals and helps reduce inflammation.
How Does Melatonin Work In The Body?
Melatonin is released as darkness sets in, peaks overnight, and slows its production as the body senses light. As you can imagine, late night screen use and bright electric lights can mess with melatonin release and in turn, our sleep-wake cycles. If our melatonin release is interrupted, it’s not just our sleep that can suffer, but our reproductive hormones and inflammation too.
If It Occurs Naturally, Why Do I Need A Supplement?
Melatonin levels can get out of sync because of things like working night shift, using light-emitting electronic devices close to bed time (ahem…scrolling before bed!), and jetlag.
Melatonin has also been shown to settle pre-surgery anxiety without the side effects of other pre-surgical calming medications. It has also been trialled in kids autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) because these conditions can cause issues with sleep.
Furthermore, natural melatonin production decreases with age. So older adults who have difficulty sleeping may find melatonin supplementation useful.
How Does A Melatonin Supplement Work?
As with most supplements, when the body doesn’t produce enough of something, taking a supplement is a way to increase that substance in the body.
So, for sleep difficulties, taking a melatonin supplement one to two hours before bedtime may boost your melatonin levels and help you to fall asleep.
Beware, Not All Melatonin Supplements Are The Same
Currently, melatonin is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a dietary supplement. This means that what you buy over the counter is not regulated as tightly as prescription medications.
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that the majority of over-the-counter supplements did not contain the amount of melatonin that the label indicated. It also found that over a quarter of all supplements contained serotonin.
Serotonin is known as the happy hormone. Although it sounds like a nice idea to get a bonus hit of happy, when serotonin is taken unknowingly it can be harmful. Especially for people already taking medications that alter serotonin levels such as some anti-depressants.
Which Melatonin Supplements Are The Safest?
The safest way to supplement with melatonin is to do so under the guidance of a health professional with specialised knowledge in supplements and their safety.
When choosing a supplement, look for “USP Verified” on the label. This means it has been approved by the United States Pharmacopeia, a non-profit organization that helps ensure quality in dietary supplements.
Is Melatonin Safe If I Take A High-Quality Supplement?
It depends. In the short term, a melatonin supplement is relatively safe for most people but may cause some mild side effects. Long term use is lacking in research, so it’s best to avoid taking melatonin long term unless directed by your healthcare professional.
Short Term
If you’ve found a high-quality supplement through a reputable health professional. Short term use is typically considered safe.
However, some people experience side effects when they take melatonin. If you start with a low dose you are less likely to experience these possible side effects.
Side effects
The most common side effects include:
- Daytime sleepiness
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Nausea
Some less common side effects can include:
- Agitation
- Mood swings
- Fatigue or drowsiness
- Skin irritation
- Nightmares
- Palpitations
The side effects typically settle on their own within a few days, or go away once you stop the supplement. It is important that you check in with your health professional about your side effects.
Long Term
Melatonin influences our circadian rhythm. But it can also influence other rhythms and cycles of the body, including the female menstrual and reproductive hormone cycles. Currently melatonin’s impact on female reproductive cycles is under investigation.
Melatonin supplementation hasn’t been studied for long enough to know what the long term impacts are on the body and the hormonal system. So it’s best to avoid long term in children, adolescence, and those who still wish to fall pregnant.
For Some People, Melatonin is Not A Safe Supplement
Pregnancy or Breastfeeding
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or pumping milk for your baby, avoid taking melatonin. It hasn’t been proven to be unsafe, but it hasn’t been proven to be safe either. So, it’s best to avoid it until further research is available.
Liver or Kidney Conditions
If you have any concerns with your liver or kidneys, don’t take melatonin unless you’ve consulted with your doctor and received the OK. Melatonin is metabolized (broken down) by the liver and excreted from the body via the kidneys. So, if you have pre-existing conditions that effect either of these organs, your body may struggle to breakdown and remove melatonin from your body.
Autoimmune Disorders
If you have an autoimmune condition, only take melatonin if advised to do so my your healthcare provider. Melatonin can impact the immune system but exactly what impact it has in autoimmune conditions is not yet clear. Therefore, until further research conducted, it’s best to avoid it.
Will A Melatonin Supplement Interact With Other Drugs Or Supplements?
If you are taking any other medications or dietary supplements, it is best to check with your treating health professional or pharmacist about possible interactions. In particular, if you are taking other sedatives or anti-anxiety medications, you should take melatonin with caution because the combination might make you too sedated.
Is A Melatonin Supplement Safer Than Other Sleeping Pills?
Melatonin can be just as effective at helping you fall asleep as prescription sleeping pills. But, you may wake feeling a little fresher. Prescription sleepers can cause people to feel groggy and slow their reaction times the next day. Melatonin typically doesn’t have this effect.
Prescription sleeping pills can be addictive. Melatonin is showing the potential to help get patients off long-term prescription sleeping pills and offers a safer alternative.
There is little evidence to suggest that you can develop a tolerance to melatonin.
Will Melatonin Mess Up My Sleep Cycles If I Take It For Sleep?
If you take too much melatonin it could lead to daytime sleepiness. But this typically only happens if you take above the recommended dosage.
What If I Can’t Take Melatonin But Need Help Sleeping?
Non-drug Therapies Are Generally The Safest Solution To Poor Sleep.
All drugs and supplements carry a small risk of allergic reaction or side effects. If you have a long term sleep disturbance, it’s best to look to non-drug alternatives to help you sleep. Some suggestions include:
- Cognitive behavioural therapy
- White noise
- Aromatherapy
- Meditation
- Light therapy
Good Sleep Hygiene Is Important For Good Sleep
Good sleep hygiene means having healthy routines around sleep. Here are a few suggestions.
- Sleep in a dark room (no night lights)
- Avoid screens an hour before bed
- Put a blue light filter on your computer and phone to come on as the sun sets.
- Avoid alcohol before bed
- Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning
- Exercise regularly
- Avoid food too close to bed.
So Overall, Is Melatonin Safe To Take Every Night?
Short term, melatonin1 can help recalibrate your sleep cycles after an interruption such as jetlag. It can also help short term such as when you are losing sleep before a big event, or struggling through a run of night shift.
But, taking it long term is not advisable because we just don’t know what the long term effects will be.
For long term sleep difficulties, try relying on non-drug therapies and good sleep hygiene where you can.
