Struggling to sleep?
Is melatonin for you?
I've got your answer.
(music)
Melatonin is a hormone that tells your body when it’s time to head to bed.
And it's become a popular supplement among people struggling to sleep.
And there’s no question melatonin sleep aids are growing in popularity.
But is it safe to take melatonin every night?
How well does melatonin actually work?
Are there any side effects?
And how do you take it?
Today I’ll be breaking down the important questions that you should be asking and the
crucial facts that you need to know about melatonin.
Stay with me.
Hey everyone, I’m Dr. Jordan Wagner.
I’m an emergency room doctor who treats everything from COVID to gunshot wounds, burns,
you name it.
I’ve created this video series to help answer some of your medical questions and the questions
I get from patients each and every day.
If you find this video helpful, please do me a favor and subscribe!
Melatonin - What is it exactly?
And do we need it to function properly?
Put simply, melatonin is a hormone that our bodies make naturally.
It’s produced by the pineal gland in the brain, and it’s also found in other areas,
such as the eyes, bone marrow, and the gut.
It’s often called the sleep hormone, as high levels of it can help you fall asleep.
So how exactly does it work you ask?
Melatonin works closely with your body’s circadian rhythm to help you prepare for sleep.
Its levels rise at nighttime.
Darkness causes the body to produce more melatonin, which signals the body to prepare for sleep.
Light decreases melatonin production and signals the body to prepare for being awake.
Will it work for you and your terrible sleep habits?
Well, good question.
Melatonin by itself will not just instantly knock you out.
It simply lets your body know that it’s nighttime so you can relax and fall
asleep easier.
It’s important to realize that everybody reacts differently to medicines and supplements,
so melatonin may or may not work for you.
Some studies say it can help with jet lag and some sleep issues like delayed sleep phase
disorder, shift work disorder, and other sleep disorders with children.
Whereas other promising research shows that it may let people with insomnia fall asleep
slightly faster.
So all that to say it really depends on the person taking the melatonin.
So say you want to try it and you are wondering if it's safe to take melatonin every
night?
Yes, According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, short-term
use of melatonin supplements appear to be safe for most adults and children.
However, information on the effects of long-term melatonin supplements is limited and it’s
important to know that some reports have indicated that long-term melatonin use in adults may
cause mild side effects.
The side effects could include feeling drowsy, headache, dizziness, or even nausea.
If you’re currently experiencing side effects from melatonin, stop taking it right away
and talk with your primary care doctor.
They may recommend using a lower dose or trying out an alternative medication or sleep aid
instead.
Lastly, It’s important to know that melatonin's dosing is crucial.
The FDA doesn’t currently regulate melatonin as a drug.
Therefore there’s limited information on the optimal safe dosing of its use.
One 2017 review defines a typical dose of melatonin to be between 1 and 5 mg and
typically takes 1 to 2 hours to kick in, so it’s best if it’s taken up to 2 hours
before heading to bed.
If you’re looking to try melatonin for the first time, it may be best to begin with a
low dose.
Melatonin supplements can be used to help promote sleep.
Because there’s no current standard dosage associated with melatonin supplements, always
talk to your doctor about how much melatonin to take and when.
Alright, that’s been a quick melatonin conversation, with me Dr. Wagner.
Do take any melatonin supplements?
What has been your experience?
Please leave me a comment below.
And make sure you subscribe and turn your bell notifications on.
When you do that and you hit that like button you
let YouTube know that you’d like to see
more videos like this one.
Thank you so much for watching and stay healthy, my friends.
(music)