The Truth About Taking Melatonin To Help You Sleep
Its been a rough day and you must wake up early tomorrow for a breakfast meeting, so you take a melatonin pill, brush your teeth and crawl into bed. Then you stare at the ceiling. And stare. And stare.
Neurologist and sleep medicine specialist John Andrefsky, MD isnt surprised.
Melatonin decreases sleep latency by about six minutes, which is not a lot of time considering people sometimes cant fall asleep for 45 minutes, an hour or two hours, he says. Melatonin affects when you fall asleep, not how quickly.
Dr. Andrefsky says melatonin is more useful in mitigating jetlag than in curing chronic insomnia, so it can be an effective tool for people who travel leisurely or for business.
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What’s The Recommended Dose Of Melatonin
There is no official guideline for melatonin dosage. In general, experts suggest you start at the lowest available amount and gradually increase it until you get restful sleep.
Some experts calculate melatonin dosage by weight. For every kilogram you weigh, you can take 0.04 mg to 0.08 mg of melatonin a day. So, for example:
- An adult who weighs 155 pounds can take 3 mg to 6 mg of melatonin.
- A 6-year-old child who weighs 41 pounds can take 0.75 mg to 1.5 mg of melatonin.
Another way to calculate dosage that you may find more practical is to follow the recommended ranges for each age group:
- Children: 0.5 mg to 5 mg
- Adults: 0.5 mg to 10 mg
- Older adults: 0.1 mg to 5 mg
Note that these ranges are for short-term use only. Depending on the supplement you’re taking, “short-term” could mean anywhere from 5 days to 13 weeks. There is little research on what doses are safe to use long-term, so you may want to avoid taking supplements past the period recommended by your healthcare provider.
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What’s The Most Popular Dose
“Most individuals will do fine on a two to two-and-a-half milligram dose,” says Dr. Chelsie Rohrscheib, Ph.D., neuroscientist and Head Sleep Specialist at Wesper. “Using more than five milligrams of melatonin per night isn’t recommended unless you’re working closely with your doctor.” Typically, 10 milligram options aren’t available over the counter and would only be recommended for those who suffer from blindness and non-24 hour sleep-wake disorder, explains Dr. Durmer. “Too much melatonin can actually disrupt the circadian rhythm and make sleep more difficult,” Dr. Rohrscheib adds. When you first “start low and go slow,” Dr. Rohrscheib recommends beginning with a half or one milligram one hour before bedtime, then “increasing in small increments until you find a dose that works for you.”
Tolerance Dosage And Precautions
Melatonin is well tolerated in children. Although theres some concern that long-term use may delay puberty because a natural decline in evening melatonin levels is associated with the onset of puberty more studies are needed .
Melatonin supplements for children are often sold in the form of gummies.
Dosage varies by age, and more research is needed to determine the optimal dosage and effectiveness. Nonetheless, common recommendations are 1 mg for infants, 2.53 mg for older children, and 5 mg for young adults .
Additionally, because researchers dont yet understand the long-term effects of melatonin use in children, it may be best to help your kids implement good sleep practices if those are not already in place before you give them melatonin (
Older adults should be sure to talk with a pharmacist or doctor before taking melatonin.
Summary
Melatonin levels naturally decrease as you get older. Supplementing with low doses may help improve sleep quality in older adults.
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How Much Melatonin Should I Take
Melatonin supplements are available in a wide range of dosages, from 1 milligram up to 10 milligrams, and can be taken in pill form, as dissolvable tablets, liquid drops, or even gummies. However you take it, the best time to use melatonin is about 30 minutes before bedtime.
If youve never taken melatonin before, start small and work your way up if needed. For adults, Dr. Kohli recommends beginning with a 1 to 2 milligram dose daily and increasing the dosage by another 1 to 2 milligrams at a time. For children, the AAP says the dose should remain low , capping out at no more than 3 to 6 milligrams of melatonin. The maximum dosage for healthy adults ranges from 5 to 10 milligrams. If that sounds like a wide spectrum of normal, its because the right dose of melatonin is very individualized. According to University of Missouri Health Care neurologist Pradeep Bollu, MD, while some people respond well to 3 milligrams daily, others may need more or less. If you feel like you need more than 5 milligrams, you should talk to your doctor first before trying a higher dose. The more melatonin you take the more likely you are to have side effects. Melatonin dosage is fixed according to age, and does not vary by body weight.
Bottom Line: Pros And Cons
Benefits:
- Widely available in the U.S. over-the-counter without a prescription
- Short-term use is relatively safe with little evidence of toxicity
- Inexpensive product with generics or store brands available
- Lower dose and orally-dissolvable products for children are available
- Comes in a variety of dosage forms and doses
Downsides:
- Not approved for any uses by the FDA
- Quality of some products cannot always be assured
- Studies for less common uses are not consistent
- Doses tend to vary between patients always ask a medical professional or your health care provider for dosing advice in children
- Effective lower doses are not always commercially available
- Higher doses used over a prolonged period may lead to rebound insomnia and are not well studied.
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How Much Melatonin Is Safe
In adults, typical doses of melatonin range from 0.3 mg to 5 mg at bedtime. However, your healthcare provider may recommend different doses for you based on the reason youre using it. If you have questions about how to take melatonin, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider.
Be sure to follow the directions on the melatonin supplement label. This will tell you how much melatonin to take and how often to take it. Dont take more than the recommended amount unless directed by your healthcare provider. Taking more melatonin doesnt make it work faster or better, and it may even be harmful.
How Does Melatonin Help You Sleep
Your body follows a circadian rhythm in which various physical, mental and behavioral processes are carried out depending on the time of day. In reaction to daytime and natural daylight, your brain releases the hormone serotonin, which regulates your mood, appetite and memory. At night, in response to darkness, your brain switches off serotonin and starts releasing melatonin. This hormone helps calm your body down and prepare for sleep by making you feel tired or drowsy.
Once that sun goes down, your melatonin system turns back on and a couple hours later, your melatonin levels are high enough for you to be able to fall asleep, explains Dr. Roth. This is why in some places, like Ohio, our energy levels are lower during the winter because we dont have a lot of natural sunlight during the day. So, were not as energetic, and we never quite get that burst of melatonin production at night.
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Melatonin Dosage Chart By Age Group
Children 3 years or older Adults
*Only under a doctors approval. Sources: Sleep Foundation, AJMC, SingleCare.
The dosage you take may also depend on your reason for taking melatonin. Its use in the treatment of some types of migraines and anxiety is still being studied, but many people find taking melatonin at different doses helps them with these other health issues.
There are initial studies looking at melatonin as a therapy for certain headache disorders and anxiety, especially in relation to surgical procedures, says Dr. Kohli, though she emphasizes that there is currently no consensus on using it for these issues and studies about the effectiveness are ongoing.
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Work With Not Against Melatonins Sleep
Melatonin levels rise about two hours before bedtime, Buenaver says. Create optimal conditions for it to do its job by keeping the lights low before bed. Stop using your computer, smartphone or tabletthe blue and green light from these devices can neutralize melatonins effects. If you watch television, be sure youre at least six feet away from the screen. Turn off bright overhead lights too. Meanwhile you can help program your body to produce melatonin for sleep at the right time of day by getting exposure to daylight during the morning and afternoon. Take a walk outside or sit beside a sunny window.
Which Medications Interact With Melatonin
You can purchase melatonin over the counter without a doctors prescription. However, melatonin can have drug interactions with many different types of prescription medications, such as:
- Anticoagulants (Blood thinners, antiplatelets, certain herbal products and supplementsmelatonin can increase the risk of bleeding in people taking blood thinners.
- Blood pressure drugsyou can have worsening blood pressure control with melatonin intake.
- Diabetes medicationsmelatonin can affect blood glucose levels.
- Anticonvulsantsmelatonin can make epilepsy drugs less effective.
- Contraceptive drugs this drug combination can cause additive sedative effects in addition to that, you can have increased side effects of melatonin if youre on birth control pills.
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Harness Your Bodys Natural Melatonin
One of the many good things about relying on your bodyâs natural production of melatonin is that you donât have to worry about the right melatonin dose for you. By following a few key daily behaviors, you can allow your brain to do its thing and naturally produce the right amount needed for a restful nightâs sleep. Youâll see many of these daily behaviors involve light, and thatâs down to a photopigment in our eyes called melanopsin. When melanopsin is activated by light, it suppresses melatonin synthesis â so you just need to get the timing of your light exposure right.
Sleep hygiene practices to optimize your bodyâs natural melatonin include:
The RISE app can tell you the right time to start or stop these behaviors each day based on your own circadian rhythm.
How Does Melatonin Work
Natural melatonin is a highly lipid soluble hormone produced in the pineal gland in the brain. It is synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan and then released into the blood and cerebrospinal fluid, crossing the blood-brain barrier. It sends messages to the receptor agonist in the brain and other areas of the body to help control the sleep and wake cycles.
Does melatonin help you sleep? When taken as a supplement, its function is to mimic the effects of the natural sleep hormone. Drowsiness generally occurs within 30 minutes after taking a dose.
Taking supplemental melatonin for sleep before bedtime may not be the best strategy for all sleep disorders. Ask your doctor about the best method of dosing. This medication does not work for everyone.
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What Are The Side Effects Of Melatonin
While side effects of melatonin are generally mild, you may experience grogginess while sleepiness before bed is desirable, taking a high melatonin dosage may cause drowsiness the next day.If you experience melatonin side effects, talk with your doctor. They may recommend to start with a lower melatonin dose until you find what works best with your body.
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How To Take Melatonin
If youre considering trying melatonin for insomnia, starting with a low dose supplement is recommended.
For instance, start with 0.51 mg 30 minutes before going to bed. If that doesnt seem to help you fall asleep, try increasing your dose to 35 mg.
Taking melatonin in excess of 5 mg is unlikely to help you fall asleep faster. The goal is to find the lowest dose that helps you sleep.
However, its best to follow the instructions that come with your supplement and talk with a healthcare professional before adding OTC melatonin to your routine.
Because melatonin comes in different forms, you may also want to consult a doctor or pharmacist about the best form for you.
Melatonin is widely available in the United States. Youll need a prescription for melatonin in other places, such as the European Union and Australia .
Summary
If you want to try melatonin, start with 0.51 mg 30 minutes before bed. However, its a good idea to consult a healthcare professional before using melatonin.
- diabetes medications
- immunosuppressants
If you have a health condition or take any of the above medications, its best to talk with your doctor before starting to use melatonin.
Melatonin may also interact with alcohol. Some research suggests that moderate to heavy alcohol use reduces melatonin levels and thus disrupts sleep quality, though results are mixed .
The effectiveness of melatonin in children and adolescents is still being investigated.
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Melatonin And Other Medicines
The other medications that you take regularly might also interfere with the results of your melatonin supplement. Therefore it is advisable to consult a doctor before combining them.
Some medications like beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers reduce the production of melatonin in your body. In contrast, birth control pills increase the production of melatonin. Therefore, taking melatonin supplements along with birth control pills might trigger a melatonin overdose.
Similarly, if melatonin is combined with warfarin or coumadin, it might increase the risk of bleeding. Also, a combination of melatonin and corticosteroids weakens your immune system. A doctor’s recommendation is a must before you decide to take melatonin to avoid all such mishaps.
Foods to Avoid with Melatonin Supplements
Certain foods could interfere with the melatonin supplement you take, thus reducing the effect of the supplement. Avoid consuming alcohol, tea, or coffee after taking melatonin. Similarly, spicy food, foods with huge amounts of sugar, foods rich in fats, and acidic food should be avoided.
Eggs, cherries, milk, and nuts are best to take with melatonin supplements. Have a light dinner so that heaviness wouldn’t interfere with the effects of your supplement.
More advice can be taken from your physician regarding foods compatible with a melatonin supplement.
What to do During a Melatonin Overdose?
Alternatives of Melatonin Supplement
Things To Consider Before Taking Melatonin:
So what can you do to get better sleep, instead of reaching for that bottle of melatonin every night? Dr. Mobley stresses the importance of healthy sleep habits, exercise and stress management all of which can give you the “right building blocks” your body needs for a good night’s sleep.
One of the most important things to do is practice good sleep hygiene, which refers to the various healthy habits and behaviors you engage in to help you have a good night’s sleep. According to Dr. Mobley, this includes:
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