If you choose to try melatonin, start with the lowest dose possible and slightly increase it if needed. It is best to avoid dosages over 10 milligrams , as you may experience unpleasant side effects such as headache and fatigue. It should also be noted that melatonin is considered a supplement in the United States, and is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Without strict regulations or guidelines, the amount of melatonin that a supplement contains may differ from the label.
Inaccurate labeling of melatonin supplements is common. If you are concerned about the potential side effects of melatonin, there are other over the counter sleep aids to consider. Diphenhydramine and doxylamine are two popular antihistamines that are also used to aid sleep. Herbs like valerian have also been shown to help promote sleep. Finding the sleep aid that works for you may take time. Ensuring that you are engaging in healthy sleep hygiene practices may also help you get better sleep.
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The Sleep Foundation editorial team is dedicated to providing content that meets the highest standards for accuracy and objectivity. Our editors and medical experts rigorously evaluate every article and guide to ensure the information is factual, up-to-date, and free of bias. Updated July 22, Written by Tom Ryan. Medically Reviewed by John DeBanto. What Is the Proper Melatonin Dosage? Does Melatonin Expire? Sign up below for your free gift. Your privacy is important to us.
Was this article helpful? Yes No. Masters, A. Melatonin, the hormone of darkness: From sleep promotion to Ebola treatment. Rajaratnam, S. Melatonin advances the circadian timing of EEG sleep and directly facilitates sleep without altering its duration in extended sleep opportunities in humans.
The Journal of Physiology, Pt 1 , — Alagiakrishnan, K. Melatonin based therapies for delirium and dementia. Discovery Medicine, 21 , — National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Melatonin: What you need to know.
Besag, F. Adverse events associated with melatonin for the treatment of primary or secondary sleep disorders: A systematic review. CNS Drugs, 33 12 , — Gikonyo, D. Drug expiry debate: The myth and the reality. Melatonin is quickly absorbed by the body. After you take an oral supplement, melatonin reaches its peak level in about 1 hour. You may start to feel sleepy at this point. But like all drugs, melatonin affects everyone differently.
It might take more or less time for you to feel the effects. Regular melatonin tablets are immediate release supplements. They dissolve as soon as you take them, which instantly releases melatonin into your bloodstream. On the other hand, extended release melatonin dissolves slowly. It gradually releases melatonin over time, which may mimic the way your body naturally makes melatonin throughout the night. This is thought to be better for staying asleep at night.
You can slowly increase your intake to determine the best dosage that helps you fall asleep without causing adverse effects. After all, taking too much melatonin can be counterproductive. A melatonin overdose can disrupt your circadian rhythm and cause daytime sleepiness. Since the rules are different for dietary supplements, a manufacturer can list an inaccurate dose of melatonin on the package. However, the best time to take melatonin is different for each person. Everyone absorbs medication at different rates.
To start, take melatonin 30 minutes before bed. You can adjust the timing depending on how long it takes for you to fall asleep. This can shift your body clock in the wrong direction, resulting in daytime sleepiness.
It has a half-life of 40 to 60 minutes. The half-life is the time it takes for the body to eliminate half a drug. Typically, it takes four to five half-lives for a drug to be fully eliminated. This means melatonin will stay in the body for about 5 hours. But remember, everyone metabolizes drugs differently.
The total time it takes to clear will vary for each person. It depends on several factors, including:. If you take it too late, you may feel drowsy or groggy the next day. If you need to go to hospital, take the melatonin packet or leaflet inside it, plus any remaining medicine, with you. Ask someone to go with you to hospital as you may start to feel very sleepy on the way. If you're travelling by car, do not drive yourself.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or do not go away:. In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to melatonin. You could be having a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.
These are not all the side effects of melatonin. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet. You can report any suspected side effect to the UK safety scheme. It's best to avoid taking melatonin if you're pregnant or if you want to breastfeed.
Not enough research has been done to know whether it's safe for you and your baby. Melatonin passes into breast milk in small amounts and this can make a baby more sleepy.
If you want to breastfeed, talk to a doctor or midwife first before taking melatonin. Some medicines and melatonin can interfere with each other and increase your risk of side effects. Certain medicines may increase or decrease the drowsy-making sedating effects of melatonin. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before taking melatonin if you take any of the following:.
Do not take any herbal remedies that make you feel sleepy while taking melatonin. They can increase the sedating effects of your medicine and make you feel much more drowsy. Tell a doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements.
Melatonin is a natural hormone that is produced by the pineal gland located in your brain. It helps control your sleep cycle. The body produces melatonin just after it gets dark, peaking in the early hours of the morning and reducing during daylight hours.
Melatonin acts on receptors in your body to encourage sleep. Taking melatonin tablets adds to your body's natural supply of the hormone. This can help you get to sleep and improve the quality of your sleep.
If you still have sleeping problems after finishing your course of melatonin, try making lifestyle changes that can help with insomnia. Melatonin has been approved as a short-term treatment for jet lag in adults. There is some evidence that melatonin makes your symptoms less severe. It can also help reduce recovery time after a long flight by a day to a day and a half.
Jet lag can be common after travelling across 5 or more time zones in an easterly direction. It disturbs your sleep, your thinking and your digestion, and can make you feel irritable and tired during the daytime.
The usual dose is one 3mg tablet of melatonin but your doctor may recommend 2 tablets 6mg if needed. When you arrive at your destination, take melatonin at your normal bedtime but not earlier than Taking melatonin has not been linked to sleepwalking. Melatonin is usually only recommended for short-term sleep problems. If you take it as prescribed, you're unlikely to become addicted to it.
However, ask a doctor or pharmacist for advice about stopping melatonin if you have been taking it for a long time or if you're worried about becoming dependent on it.
Do not drive a car, ride a bike or operate machinery if melatonin makes you sleepy, gives you blurred vision, or makes you feel dizzy, clumsy or unable to concentrate or make decisions.
This may be more likely when you first start taking melatonin, but could happen at any time. For example, when starting another medicine. It's an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected.
It's your responsibility to decide if it's safe to drive. If you're in any doubt, do not drive. UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure whether it's safe for you to drive while taking melatonin.
There's no firm evidence to suggest that taking melatonin will reduce fertility in either men or women. But speak to a pharmacist or doctor if you're trying to get pregnant. They may want to review your treatment. Melatonin does not affect how contraception works, including the combined pill and emergency contraception. However, your levels of melatonin can increase when taking the combined pill or hormone replacement therapy HRT.
Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before taking melatonin if this applies to you. Do not have drinks that contain caffeine including coffee, cola or energy drinks while you're taking melatonin. Alcohol and melatonin together can make you sleep very deeply, so you do not breathe properly and can have difficulty waking up. In some countries, melatonin is available to buy in health food shops or online.
It is sold as a complementary medicine and comes as "immediate-release" capsules, tablets or a liquid that your drink.
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