Melatonin Effects on Sleep
What is Melatonin?
The Mayo Clinic defined melatonin as “a hormone produced in the brain by the pineal gland, from the amino acid tryptophan.” Melatonin is thought to be involved in the circadian rhythm, since more is released when it becomes dark and less is released when it is light outside. Besides its natural formation, melatonin is also available as synthetic supplements for sleep disorders.
When is Melatonin Used?
The Mayo Clinic rates multiple disorders where melatonin is used for treatment, graded by the amount of scientific evidence available to validate its claim. It is most advantageous for jet lag: melatonin can be taken to help the body adjust to new time zones, and reduce sleep onset latency (the time it takes to fall asleep). Melatonin has also been shown to be useful for delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS), insomnia, sleep problems among children who have neuropsychiatric disorders, and enhancing sleep in healthy people.
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Elizabeth Stannard Gromisch is a freelance writer, specializing in science and women's issues. She received her ...
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Hi Elizabeth - I've taken melatonin at bedtime for several years now in order to get to sleep faster and have sounder sleep. It's worked well, and I've had no problems. Thanks for this information, and good luck to you in getting your schedule where you want it.
Take good care,
Pat