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Not being able to fall or stay asleep is frustrating, especially if it happens on a regular basis. To get much-needed rest, many people turn to the sleep supplement melatonin, a synthetic version of the natural melatonin your body makes to help induce sleepiness. But is melatonin safe to take every day? Here’s what sleep experts want you to know about melatonin and regular use.
Melatonin is made by your body in the pineal gland just above the center of the brain. This hormone helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle of your internal clock. “Melatonin gets released when the sun goes down,” says Beth Malow, M.D., director of the sleep disorders division at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “It makes us drowsy—about two hours after melatonin starts getting released, we are ready to go to sleep.” In the morning when the sun comes up again (or you’re exposed to bright light), melatonin levels fall, cueing your internal clock that it’s time to wake.
The brain normally makes only a small amount of melatonin—around 0.2 milligrams, says Brandon Peters-Mathews, M.D., a sleep medicine specialist at Virginia Mason Medical Center. For some people, that might not be enough to help them get the rest they need. Melatonin supplements, which typically contain higher doses than the amount your body naturally releases, can be useful to treat sleep disorders and insomnia. “Supplemental melatonin allows us to get drowsy and ready for sleep,” says Malow. “In addition, melatonin can be calming and help us ‘turn our brains off.’”
Melatonin is a prescription medication in Europe, but in the U.S. it qualifies as a dietary supplement, meaning it’s available over the counter. Not all brands of melatonin are the same, though, and it’s important to read the label and make sure you are getting pure melatonin and not melatonin mixed with other substances, warns Malow.
Both Peters-Mathews and Malow believe melatonin is generally safe to take every night, but larger studies are needed to determine whether it’s effective and safe for all forms of insomnia, and particularly for long-term use. “Melatonin is used safely by most people for years,” says Peters-Mathews. He recommends sticking to lower doses of melatonin (1 to 3 milligrams per night) to prevent unwanted side effects, which typically include increased dreaming, nightmares or morning sleepiness. If you are bothered by these side effects, you should stop taking melatonin and speak to your doctor about alternatives.
Melatonin isn’t suitable for everyone. You shouldn’t take melatonin if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding or have an autoimmune disorder, a seizure disorder or depression. If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, talk to your doctor before taking it. If you are on any medications, check with your physician to make sure melatonin won’t make them less effective or cause more side effects.
If melatonin isn’t helping with sleep after a week or two of nightly use, Malow recommends checking in with your doctor about other options. “Also, make sure you are taking a wider behavioral approach, including limiting caffeine after early afternoon, limiting alcohol and turning screens off at least 30 minutes before bedtime,” she says.
There are many ways to create optimal conditions for a good night’s sleep, whether or not you take melatonin. Keep the lights low before bed to cue your body to relax, and if you watch television in the evening, make sure you’re at least 6 feet away from the screen (as blue light emitted from the TV can keep you from nodding off). Everyone deserves the rest their body requires, and it’s crucial to make necessary changes to your environment and schedule so you can easily drift off to dreamland.