The Confusion about Melatonin and Its Role for Insomnia
General Mass Confusion and Misunderstanding about Melatonin
“Melatonin is not a sleeping pill.”
I often get very confused looks from clients when those words leave my mouth.
It’s completely understandable given the misunderstanding of Melatonin and how we use it when having insomnia or difficulty sleeping.
Many of the people I treat for insomnia are often very confused about the role that Melatonin plays in sleep. Most, if not all, will categorize it as an “over-the-counter sleeping pill.” Also, most if not all of them take it right before bed, or if they wake up in the middle of the night, and also take over the recommended dose.
What Melatonin Is vs What It Isn’t
Melatonin is a hormone that our body naturally secretes. When our body is in a typical circadian rhythm (our body’s internal clock telling us when it’s time to sleep, wake, and eat) Melatonin naturally releases in the evening hours when it gets dark preparing us for bed. If we all lived in a world with no stress, right next to the equator, or new issues with depression or anxiety, to name a few, most of our circadian rhythms would be flawless and our bodies would naturally let us know it’s time to sleep based on the pick up of natural melatonin. However, that is not the reality for most. Given the widespread issues with sleep and our natural circadian rhythms, there are some need to know about how to use Melatonin effectively for sleep.
For many who struggle with sleep issues or insomnia, their natural circadian rhythm is off and they find themselves not tired when they think they need to go to bed. Many have turned to over-the-counter melatonin as a way to sleep.
While melatonin can decrease sleep latency, or help people fall asleep faster, the results are not dramatic. Ferracioli-Oda et al, showed that the use of melatonin decreases sleep latency by an average of 7.06 minutes and increases total sleep time by an average of 8.25 minutes. Sleeping pills on the other hand decrease sleep latency by 3 minutes and increase overall sleep time by an average of 30 minutes.
How to Take Melatonin Effectively
However for Melatonin to be used effectively, it is best to take it 2-3 hours before your bedtime for it to help promote sleepiness.
As far as whether Melatonin should be used every night to sleep, again the research is mixed. Many physicians recommend not taking it nightly, however, there is no research to suggest that taking it every night causes harm.
The bottom line is that if you’re having trouble sleeping and using Melatonin, try taking it 2-3 hours before you want to sleep. It can also help to make sure that you’re getting in at least 20 minutes of exercise a day, avoid bright screens later in the day, and don’t drink alcohol in the evenings.
