Melatonin: What Your Body Feels Like When You Take It Every Night, According to Behavioral Sleep Medicine Experts

There has been a significant increase in adult melatonin supplement users in the United States. It’s no surprise that as many as 50-70 million people in the United States suffer from a sleep disorder. Literally millions of Americans are in dire need of restful sleep.

But before you decide to jump on the melatonin bandwagon, it’s important to know when it’s helpful to take the supplement and what exactly happens to your body when you do take it every night. Here, a sleep expert shares this intel and more.

Related: Why You Should Try a ‘Coffee Nap’—and Other Surprising Tips on How to Sleep Better 

When To Consider Taking Melatonin

Before using a drug or supplement it is important to know what it is. Melatonin, a hormone produced by the brain, helps regulate circadian rhythms. Melatonin production is stimulated by darkness. Inadequate melatonin production in the body can cause sleep problems. For this reason, some people consider taking a pill containing melatonin, a synthetic version of the hormone.

Dr. Deirdre Conroy, Ph.D., recommends considering melatonin for insomniacs.

She claims that melatonin is the most beneficial for sleep. Take melatonin tablets if you find yourself lying in bed for hours without falling asleep. Dr. According to Conroy, people who have trouble falling asleep (ie, those who wake up frequently during the night) should consider taking an extended-release melatonin supplement, as it can help with both falling asleep and staying asleep.

It must be acknowledged that the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate dietary supplements. To make sure you are buying a value for money supplement, Dr. Conroy advises looking for brands on websites like Consumer Labs, which independently tests the dosage and quality of supplements. Dr. According to Conroy, “One of the problems with melatonin is that new research suggests that the amount on the bottle doesn’t always match the exact amount in each pill.” Supplements are tested by independent testing organizations such as Consumer Labs to ensure that the amount listed on the label is consistent with the product’s ingredients.

What Happens to Your Body if You Take Melatonin Every Night

Do not assume that the higher the dose of melatonin, the more effective it will be. Indeed, Dr. According to Conroy, small doses of melatonin (between 3 and 5 mg) are more beneficial than high doses. “Lower doses of melatonin have shown a greater ‘shift’ in circadian phase than higher doses of melatonin,” she adds. “Scientific studies published in the Journal of Biological Rhythms and The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism show that the maximum change is 0.5 mg, compared to previous studies with 3 mg.” Dr. According to Conroy, the ideal time to take melatonin is four to six hours before bedtime.

Can you expect to get a good night’s sleep the first time you take melatonin? Dr. According to Conroy, this varies with the individual and the purpose of the drug. Melatonin, for example, may “work” for someone using it to treat a transient case of insomnia. It may take a while to notice the difference, however, if melatonin is used to “shift” the night owl’s body clock, it keeps going. The rate at which one notices the effects of melatonin also depends on other behavioral changes, such as waking up earlier each day, which can lead to feeling more tired at night.

Although melatonin is not used to treat mood disorders such as anxiety or depression, Dr. Conroy claims that taking it every day can have a subtle effect on how you feel. For example, if you’re not getting enough sleep, you may find that you’re happier and less irritable than usual if it helps you sleep better on a regular basis.

Dr. According to Conroy, taking melatonin every night also affects body temperature. She claims that there is a complex relationship between melatonin and body temperature. Melatonin levels naturally rise at night as our body temperature gradually drops, she says. She says that “[supplemental] forms of melatonin can cause a slight increase in skin temperature.” But she also notes that these are very minor adjustments. In addition

It is also important to be aware of any possible adverse effects before taking melatonin. Headaches, light-headedness, daytime drowsiness, abdominal pain, dry mouth, itchy or dry skin, arm or leg pain, strange dreams, and night sweats are some of them. Certain individuals may experience stumbling, seizures, urinary incontinence, short-term depression, and appetite changes. Dr. advises anyone considering melatonin to consult a doctor for these reasons, as well as the potential for melatonin to interact with other medications. Conroy gives. Melatonin should not be used by anyone who is depressed, pregnant, nursing, has an autoimmune disease, or has seizure problems.

Determining how melatonin intake affects the body on a regular basis is challenging because the dosage of melatonin in supplements is often unpredictable. However, some studies (at least in mice) may improve cardiovascular health. A scientific investigation published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology also showed that the use of melatonin can help those with IBS.

The science is clear that not getting enough sleep consistently has major detrimental effects on the body, although more research is needed to determine exactly how daily melatonin intake affects the body. These include impaired mental health, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and cognitive impairment. Dr. Conroy said anyone with frequent sleep problems should consult a behavioral sleep medicine specialist.

(You can find one near you using the directory provided by the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine.) Taking a melatonin supplement may be part of your sleep solution, or your specialist may decide to focus more on lifestyle changes, depending on the cause of your sleep problems. While long-term use of melatonin is safe,she says it’s still important to address the root causes of why you aren’t sleeping well so you do not have to rely on a supplement.

read | 3 reasons why you wake up in the middle of the night.

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