Melatonin is a hormone that is produced naturally in the body. Its main function is to regulate circadian rhythm – your body’s 24-hour internal clock that controls many aspects of your daily life, including, and especially, when it’s time to go to sleep. It also notifies you when it’s time to wake up and eat.

Your body produces melatonin in reaction to darkness. While it is primarily produced by the pineal gland in the brain, it can also be found in the gut, eyes, and bone marrow. Light exposure at night can prevent the release of melatonin.

Nowadays, with the help of the advancement of technology, man-made melatonin is available for those who have sleep issues. Synthetic melatonin may be helpful for conditions such as:

• insomnia, which makes it hard to fall or stay asleep;
• jet lag, which is when a new time zone throws off your body’s internal clock;
• shift work disorder, often endured by those who work nights; and
• delayed sleep wake phase disorder, which makes it difficult for sufferers to fall asleep before 2am and challenging to get up in the morning.

Melatonin could also be beneficial for the following:

• seasonal depression, which usually happens annually at around the same time of the year, and might be connected to variations in circadian rhythm brought on by seasonal light changes;
• GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, which manifests as heartburn, nausea, and belching when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus;
• eye health, as antioxidants found in melatonin can help stop cell deterioration and might even help with conditions such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration;
• human growth hormone, a chemical essential for development and cellular regeneration that is linked to strength and muscle mass.

Melatonin is widely regarded to be safe by medical professionals, healthcare workers, and other experts. It might, however, carry some side effects.

While the potential long-term effects remain unknown, common side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, bedwetting, headaches, nausea, and daytime sleepiness.

It should also be avoided by people who fall into the following categories:

• those trying to conceive, as melatonin has been known to have contraceptive-like effects, and is also best avoided during pregnancy due to lack of sufficient safety information;
• those who are breastfeeding, again due to lack of sufficient information on safety for nursing mothers;
• children, as – even though melatonin is typically well tolerated up to 3mg per day for children and 5mg per day for teens – its potential to obstruct adolescent development has raised questions;
• those with bleeding disorders, as melatonin might exacerbate the condition;
• those with high blood pressure, as it could lead to elevated levels; and
• those with seizure disorders, as melatonin consumption could increase the likelihood of it happening.

Access and dosage

Melatonin can be obtained over-the-counter in many countries, but in Malaysia, it is a prescription-only medication.

Adults can take 0.5mg to 10mg of melatonin a day, 30 minutes prior to bedtime to increase the quality of your sleep, or 2-3 hours prior if you’d like to adjust your circadian rhythm for a more regular sleep routine. Children should only be given melatonin if there is a medical need.

In conclusion, if you find it hard to achieve a good quality of sleep, melatonin is a relatively affordable, safe, and reliable choice. But bear in mind that it is crucial to first consult your doctor for a prescription, and to determine whether it will be good for you in the long run.

This article was written by DOC2US, a mobile application that allows you to talk to a doctor or any healthcare professionals via text chat at any time and from anywhere.