What are the benefits of melatonin for sleep? Melatonin, or the sleep hormone, regulates our day-night cycles.
Non-addictive and well-tolerated, it can be a valuable aid in treating certain circadian rhythm disorders.
Be careful, however, because taken in excessive quantities, it can cause certain side effects.
So what are the benefits of melatonin? How does this hormone help you sleep better? What are its side effects?
We tell you more in this article!
Also read: What type of sleeper are you?
What Is Melatonin?
The pineal gland, also known as the epiphysis, is a hormone that the brain naturally secretes.
It is a hormone that regulates natural biological rhythms such as the sleep-wake cycle. It promotes the drop in body temperature, and therefore the arrival of sleep.
Therefore, it is melatonin that decides the time of falling asleep. But this hormone also plays a role in blood circulation, or hair growth.
Melatonin secretion is inhibited in the presence of light and stimulated when it is dark.
The maximum production is thus reached from 2 am to 5 am, hence the names attributed to it, namely, “sleep hormone” and “darkness hormone”.
Melatonin also exists in the form of drugs or dietary supplements.
This synthetic hormone is becoming increasingly popular in fighting against sleep disorders, but it must be prescribed wisely and is not suitable for everyone.
Melatonin Deficiencies
Melatonin is not considered an essential nutrient: therefore, no recommended daily intake has been established, and we cannot speak of a deficiency.
However, researchers have found that people with certain health conditions have lower-than-average melatonin levels.
Travelers and people who work rotating shifts (3 x 8 shifts, for example) frequently suffer from sleep disturbances, which seem to be caused by a change in their melatonin levels.
For Whom Can Melatonin Be Indicated?
Melatonin can be indicated in several cases.
Dosed at 2 mg per tablet, it is a prescription drug (Circadian) and reserved for people over 55 who have difficulty falling asleep, who wake up at night or who experience early awakenings.
It is generally recommended to swallow the tablet 30 minutes before bedtime.
Many air hostesses and stewards praise melatonin for helping to prevent or lessen the effects of jet lag.
This medication may also help treat children with neurodevelopmental disorders or attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity.
In addition, it helps improve sleep in children who suffer from circadian rhythm disorders.
Melatonin can help with weaning from sleeping pills, reduce chronic pain (migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia), and reduce nocturnal restlessness associated with dementia.
Is Melatonin For Sleep Reimbursed?
No, melatonin-based drugs are not reimbursed for adults. Count around $30 for a box of 30 tablets.
Coverage is possible for children aged 6 to 18, on medical prescription. This support is provided as part of a temporary recommendation for use for sleep-wake rhythm disorders associated with developmental disorders and neurogenetic diseases, such as Rett syndrome, or spectrum disorders. autistic.
What Types Of Melatonin Can You Find On The Market?
Two forms of melatonin are marketed. Immediate-release melatonin (regular form) and extended-release melatonin The first helps the person fall asleep faster, and the second helps them stay asleep. In cases of insomnia, your doctor may prescribe two types of melatonin:
- Ordinary melatonin: The sleeper takes 1 mg to 5 mg 30 minutes to 1 hour before bedtime. This treatment is only effective if the insomnia is related to low melatonin levels.
- Sustained-release melatonin: The patient takes 2 mg 1 to 2 hours before bedtime.
Melatonin For Sleep In The Form Of Food Supplements
Melatonin also exists in the form of a food supplement, at a lower dose. It is interesting for people with phase delay: it allows them to fall asleep and wake up earlier.
However, it’s crucial that a doctor confirm the delayed phase using the patient’s sleep diary because melatonin could completely disrupt his sleep-wake rhythm if it’s another disorder.
Food supplements dosed at 1 mg/day or less are available without a prescription in pharmacies. They can be real allies in case of mild insomnia.
Who Is Melatonin Not Recommended For?
In self-medication, the consumption of melatonin is not recommended for people who suffer from inflammatory diseases (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.) or autoimmune diseases, but also for pregnant or breastfeeding women, children, and adolescents (except on the contrary opinion of the doctor).
It should also be avoided if you are taking antidepressants with which it may interfere, or anticoagulants whose action it may potentiate.
In addition, the consumption of melatonin is not recommended for people who have to carry out an activity requiring sustained vigilance. Drowsiness could be a safety issue here.
This medicine should be checked by a doctor if you have epilepsy, asthma, or suffer from mood, behavior, or personality disorders.
In addition, note that the consumption of food supplements that contain melatonin, in combination with drug treatment should always be discussed with a doctor.
Side Effects Of Melatonin For Sleep
If taken in too large an amount, melatonin for sleep may have immediate adverse effects in some people, such as headache, nausea, drowsiness, decreased alertness, diarrhea, nightmares, nocturnal enuresis, and mood disorders the next day.
Also, if melatonin is taken at the wrong time, it can shift the biological clock in the wrong direction. It can also make certain treatments less effective, including blood pressure medications and oral contraceptives.
What Types Of Melatonin Products Are There?
To take advantage of the benefits of melatonin, there are:
- Sprays: They can be used whenever a very rapid release of melatonin is desired to induce sleep, or in the case of jet lag when traveling east;
- Tablets to let melt under the tongue: This form optimizes the absorption of the molecule by avoiding digestive passage and rapid degradation by the liver;
- Gummies: they contain melatonin and sedative plants such as passionflower, poppy or lemon balm, and can be valuable allies if anxiety interferes with your sleep.
Other Tips For Better Sleep
To sleep better, and enjoy a more restful sleep, synthetic melatonin is not the only one that can act.
By adopting better sleep hygiene, and paying attention to certain points, you can put the odds on your side to find Morpheus more quickly, and promote the secretion of this sleep hormone in your body.
Place In The Dark
The production of melatonin is stimulated when it is dark, and inhibited when it is day. To fall asleep faster, avoid using screens that produce blue light at least two hours before bedtime.
Keep smartphones, tablets and computers away, and leave room for reading, writing, manual activities…
During the night, no light source should disturb your sleep. Put opaque curtains on your windows, and if necessary, sleep with a sleep mask.
Light Therapy To Promote The Secretion Of Melatonin
It is possible to stimulate the cells of the retina with light during the day so that melatonin is secreted during the night: this is the principle of light therapy.
It is a light-based treatment that resynchronizes the biological clock with the Earth’s cycle through daily exposure to high-intensity artificial light (from 2,500 Lux to 10,000 Lux), which recreates light natural from the sun.
Therefore, light therapy, by positively stimulating the neurotransmitters of the retina, makes it possible to inhibit the secretion of melatonin during the day in favour of serotonin, the so-called good mood hormone, which allows you to be alert.
Light therapy allows:
- To relieve many physiological disorders;
- Relieve psychological disorders;
- To relieve physical problems related to the disruption of the biological cycle and the inopportune secretion of melatonin.
Light therapy sessions are carried out using special lamps or light therapy glasses. It is possible to perform these sessions in a medical center or at home at convenient times of the day. Ideally, the person should follow a session in the morning or even at the beginning of the afternoon, but not at the end of the day or in the evening. Exposure must be for at least 30 minutes with an intensity lamp at 10000 Lux.
The Bedding
This is your number-one asset for sleeping well. Bedding plays a central role in the quality of your sleep because it helps you to stay in a good position, and pamper your comfort, but also to fight against tensions, pressure points, contractures, and stiffness.
Here, you have two allies:
- The mattress should ideally be adapted to your morphology, If you have an XS or S build, make way for soft padding, which will gently accommodate your body.
If you have an M or L frame, medium-firm mattresses will be the most suitable, and if you have an XL or XXL frame, firm mattresses will give you all the support you need.
Choose quality materials, such as pocket springs, high resilience foam or shape memory foam, or even natural latex;
- The pillow must be adapted to your sleeping position, your morphology, your comfort preferences as well as your possible health problems.
Here, ergonomic pillows are the ones that will take care of your comfort and posture the most.
They will place your head in the perfect extension of your neck and spine. For quality sleep, that’s the secret!
Essential Oils
Among the natural remedies most appreciated by sleepers who want to fight against insomnia, we find essential oils. They can be used as a diffuser, or find their place in your evening bath.
To sleep better, trust basil essential oil, chamomile essential oil, lavender essential oil, or marjoram essential oil.
Food
Food and sleep are closely linked! To sleep well, eat foods that stimulate the secretion of melatonin. Here you can trust:
- With legumes (split peas, lentils, red beans, etc.);
- With eggs;
- With cottage cheese;
- With Parmesan;
- With Gruyère;
- Oatmeal;
- With brown rice;
- With whole wheat;
- With almond ;
- With cashew nuts;
- With peanuts;
- With sesame;
- With bananas;
- With dark chocolate;
…
So, ready to test all the benefits of melatonin for sleep?
We have an extended article stating: A better understanding of the link between diet and sleep.