Does Melatonin Really Work?
Western society has long abandoned the days of rising and setting with the sun. Our daily habits translate into restless nights because our body clocks are completely out of sync—enter melatonin. Melatonin therapy may ease your sleep struggles and also body-hack your circadian rhythms to evade jet lag.
“Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain,” said David J. Earnest, Ph.D., a professor in the department of neuroscience and experimental therapeutics at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, who studies circadian rhythms—24-hour cycles that tell our bodies when to eat, sleep and perform certain processes. “At night, melatonin’s circulation in our bloodstream is high; this it is what signals nighttime and sleep to our body.”
“There are two mechanisms that regulate our sleep patterns,” he added. “The homeostatic response is based on sleep need. It begs the question, ‘how full is the tank?’ If our tank isn’t full, then our body tells us to sleep. Circadian rhythms are the second mechanism. This response is commonly known as your body’s internal clock and decides what time of day or night we need to sleep.”
Earnest noted melatonin therapy aligns with our circadian rhythms and works in two different ways. “At low doses, melatonin is considered a light hypnotic,” he said. “It doesn’t keep you asleep, but it will induce sleep. When taking a higher dosage, melatonin will actually reset your internal body clock—a useful tactic to avoid jet lag.”
Insomnia is a multi-faceted condition and unfortunately it’s often a self-induced problem. “Melatonin will only work if you’re promoting a healthy sleep environment,” he said. “Don’t drink caffeine in the evening or exercise late at night. By staring at your computer or watching TV right before bed you’re engaging in sleep sabotage. It’s important to establish a bedtime routine and axe your bad habits. Remember, melatonin won’t fix a problem you’re making worse.”
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This article by Lauren Thompson originally appeared in Vital Record.
