Melatonin: Your Body's Natural Sleep Hormone

 Melatonin is commonly referred to as the “sleep hormone.” It is produced by the brain and it’s responsible for the timing of your circadian rhythm (also known as your sleep-wake cycle), and plays an integral role in helping you fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up.

Melatonin is produced by the brain’s pineal gland; it is also present in other areas of the body such as in the gastrointestinal tract. Melatonin is secreted at night, during which time it helps you fall asleep.

How Melatonin Is Produced in the Body

The production of melatonin is influenced by light. The retina (a layer of tissue inside of the eye) processes light, and transmits this energy to the pineal gland  in the brain. The pineal gland  then secretes melatonin into the bloodstream. Melatonin is carried from the brain to the rest of the body via circulating blood.

Think of melatonin as turning on your body’s “night mode.” When cells in the body aren’t exposed to melatonin, they’re in “day mode.”

Melatonin is responsible for making us tired at night and less tired during the day. Melatonin production is triggered by light; so, the more light we are exposed to, the less melatonin is secreted, whereas darkness triggers melatonin production.

Melatonin levels also have a seasonal rhythm, with higher levels in the fall and winter, when nights are longer, and lower levels in the spring and summer, when nights are shorter

Impact of Melatonin on the Body

The primary role of melatonin that has been studied in humans relates to sleep and wakefulness. Nocturnal melatonin levels peak between one and three years old, plateau throughout early adulthood, and steadily decline in later adulthood.

For example, a 70-year-old individual will only have a quarter of the melatonin amount that a young adult has. The fact that melatonin decreases as we age could be one of the reasons that newborns and toddlers require many more hours of nightly sleep compared to elderly adults.

But melatonin may play multiple roles in humans, many of which are not fully understood. Research supports that melatonin has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticoagulant (clot-preventing) properties

How Melatonin Affects Health

Melatonin actually has quite a significant link with mental health. Since melatonin regulates your circadian rhythm and sleep, melatonin deficiency can cause sleep problems such as insomnia.

Sleep disorders are linked with other health conditions such as:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Chronic pain
• Dementia
• Diabetes
• Gastrointestinal disorders
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Mental illness
• Obesity

Melatonin Deficiency

Listed below are major factors that play a role in melatonin deficiency.

Alcohol

Blue Light

Caffeine

Caffeine has a half-life of about four hours—meaning it’ll talk your body eight hours to fully rid itself of the caffeine. It’s recommended that the average person stops drinking caffeine by 12 pm in order to obtain the best night’s sleep

Shift Work

One study found that a group of night-shift workers experienced almost 34% less melatonin production than day-shift workers over a 24-hour perio

Jet Lag or Time Change

How to Boost Melatonin Naturally

Eating melatonin-rich foods: Some foods—like eggs, fish, and nuts—are naturally high in melatonin and may help you get a better night’s sleep

Spending time in sunlight: Exposure to sunlight plays a vital role in regulating your circadian rhythm. Ensure you’re getting adequate light exposure during the day (decreasing melatonin) so you’re sleepier at night.

Taking a hot bath or shower before bed: Relaxing with a hot bath or shower can actually reduce the production of cortisol (a stress hormone) in the body and trigger melatonin production.

Melatonin Supplements

The melatonin pills you see in the grocery store or pharmacy are made synthetically. They’re often used to help people get to sleep, ease the symptoms of jet lag, and even lessen anxiety before or after surgery.

Though melatonin supplements may be helpful for sleep, keep in mind that it’s best to consult with a doctor about any chronic sleep issues (lasting one month or longer) that you’re experiencing.

Short-term use of melatonin supplements is generally considered safe; however, there isn't enough research yet to discern melatonin's long-term effects.

Side effects of melatonin use include headaches, nausea, dizziness, sleepiness, and nightmares.

It's important to know that melatonin may interact with medications or supplements you're currently taking. Consult with a doctor before taking melatonin if you're already on medication (specifically if you are taking a medication for epilepsy or a blood-thinning medication).

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