Melatonin: yes or no?

Melatonin: Should Adults Take It? Understanding the Science Behind Its Use

Often recommended for insomnia, jet lag, or shift work, melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the pineal gland in the brain. It plays a critical role in regulating the sleep-wake cycle, signaling that it's time to sleep as darkness falls. However, the question remains: Should adults take melatonin as a supplement, and if so, for how long? Let's find out.

What Is Melatonin?

Melatonin is the “sleep hormone”: it helps regulate circadian rhythms, catalysing sleep. Levels of melatonin typically rise in the evening as the light fades, however, this can be impaired by ambient lights and screens.

Why take melatonin?

Melatonin has been found to help people fall asleep more quickly, enhance the quality of sleep, and regulate the sleep-wake cycle in those with circadian rhythm disruptions, such as insomnia and DSWP (delayed sleep / wake phase, aka Wolves) (Buscemi et al., 2006; Brzezinski, 1997).

• Insomnia: Research shows that melatonin may reduce the time it takes to fall asleep in individuals with insomnia. A study published in Sleep Medicine Reviews found that melatonin reduced sleep latency (the time taken to fall asleep) and improved sleep efficiency (Hermann et al., 2016).
• Jet Lag: For long-haul flights, melatonin can be particularly beneficial - it helps shift the circadian rhythm, enabling quicker adjustment to new time zones. A meta-analysis of studies found that melatonin significantly improved jet lag symptoms, including sleep disruption, fatigue, and cognitive performance (Herxheimer & Petrie, 2002).
• Shift Work: While supplementation may help you adjust to irregular sleep patterns, it should not be your only solution (see below).

3. Safety and Side Effects

A review published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism noted that short-term use of melatonin (up to 4 weeks) has minimal side effects, with most individuals tolerating it well (Haimov et al., 2000). Common side effects are mild and rare, but do happen - dizziness, daytime drowsiness, and headaches.

That said, there are growing concerns over:

• Hormonal Effects: long-term effects on hormonal balance, particularly in young adults or individuals with hormone-related conditions, are still not fully understood. For instance, melatonin may interfere with ovulation in women and could have an impact on puberty in children (Burgess et al., 2010).
• Interaction with Medications: Melatonin can interact with various medications, such as blood thinners, immunosuppressants, and birth control pills, which can alter its effectiveness or cause side effects. (Zhdanova et al., 2011).
• Sleep Disorders from mental illness: If insomnia or sleep disturbances are due to anxiety or depression, melatonin may not be effective.

How Long Should Adults Take Melatonin?

As rarely as possible - with the long term effects unclear, I would not like to see this taken by anyone. There are many natural alternatives, using ancient medicines that are aligned with holistic wellbeing, such as reishi mushroom, ashwagandha, CBD, and of course, magnesium. Start there - melatonin should be your last resort.

This article is another instalment of Deep Sleep Weekly - empowering you to your best nights sleep. With sleep imperative for optimal wellbeing and peak performance alike; it's a pleasure to share expert tips, tricks and techniques to help you sleep longer, deeper and wake more refreshed. Supercharged by sleep, look forward to achieving more, in less time, with less effort - naturally.

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