Melatonin – A Natural Hormone that Aids Deep Sleep
Are you having difficulty falling asleep? Are you experiencing other health problems due to loss of sleep? You can change that by knowing more about the sleep hormone that your body produces, called Melatonin.
Your lack of sleep is due to a deficiency of melatonin production. This deficiency can be overcome by taking melatonin gummies that regulate your natural sleep-wake cycle, aiding you in falling asleep.
What is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by your pineal gland. The pineal gland is a pea-sized gland located above the middle of your brain. It helps your body fall asleep and maintains a sleep-wake cycle which is critical for your health. This sleep-wake cycle of your body is called a circadian rhythm, an internal clock of roughly 24 hours.
Melatonin is produced by your body, usually at night when it becomes dark. The production begins after sunset and drops at sunrise. The more natural light you get in the daytime, the better will be your melatonin production at night. People who have night shifts or less exposure to the sun during the day take melatonin supplements in the form of chewable melatonin gummies, melatonin syrup, or pills. These supplements derive melatonin from the pineal glands of animals.
Importance of Melatonin
Insomnia or lack of sleep is common in adults. The severity of sleep difficulty varies in people. While some people go through minor sleep difficulties, others face chronic sleep disorders. Melatonin supplements offer an immediate solution to your sleep loss problem where the natural chemical present in the supplements mimics your body’s melatonin and tells your brain it’s time to sleep.
Melatonin is very effective in insomnia or loss of sleep. Indirectly it cures all problems caused by the lack of deep sleep. Melatonin is also helpful for people who frequently travel across time zones and are experiencing jet lag. In addition, melatonin can also prove to be helpful in Alzheimer’s disease, sleep disorders in autistic children, cancer, nighttime blood pressure, etc.
We usually refer to melatonin as a sleep hormone. But melatonin is much more than that. Not only does this hormone resolve your sleep disorders, but it also aids in decreasing chronic pains, improves your mental health by helping with depression and anxiety. It improves the oxidation of your body, acts as an anti-inflammatory agent, heals damaged tissues, and improves immune responses.
All these functions play a critical role in maintaining your health and well-being. So if you are experiencing sleepless nights, you should take melatonin supplements to get all the benefits mentioned above that melatonin deficiency can deprive you.
How Well Does it Work?
Melatonin supplements improve the quality of your sleep by boosting the melatonin level of your body. Studies reveal that only darkness cannot lead you to fall asleep if your melatonin levels are low. Although darkness does help in the production of melatonin, there are certain other factors necessary.
Factors that Suppress your natural Melatonin Levels
Certain factors suppress your body’s natural melatonin level that causes sleep loss and insomnia. Exposure to too much light at night and usage of screens before bed disturb your circadian rhythms.
Adequate Melatonin Dosage
The dosage of melatonin varies from person to person. The variance is due to the BMI, weight, medical issues, metabolism, etc. Different responses are observed in people with the same overall health status as well. Therefore, there is no ideal dose of melatonin. The average melatonin dose ranges between 1 mg to 5 mg. This dosage should be taken more than an hour before bedtime your body’s oxidation to give it ample time to process in your system.
To find your adequate melatonin dosage, start from low doses and gradually increase them owing to the results. You may also experience some side effects, so it is always smart to start with a lower dose. Do not exceed your daily dose of 5 mg, as doctors do not recommend it.
Side Effects of Melatonin
Melatonin supplements have their fair share of side effects, although minute. The most common side effect is the feeling of drowsiness during the day. This happens when you take more than your required dose of melatonin. Some people even experience sleepiness and grogginess in the morning. This side effect can be avoided by reducing the melatonin dosage or taking your melatonin dose early in the evening so that the dose leaves its traces in your body in the morning.
Other side effects that could affect you include nausea, bad mood, headache, and dizziness. But these are very rare. Melatonin supplements have natural chemicals in them, but you should be careful and treat them as other medications. Melatonin has also been reported to counteract other medications that you take, so always consult with your physician before taking melatonin if you are already on other daily medications.
Melatonin has also shown allergic reactions in rare cases. Especially people with a history of allergies are prone to them. Any sign of an allergic reaction like itching or rashes should be considered a medical emergency. If anyone shows signs of difficulty breathing after taking a melatonin dose, they should be given immediate medical attention.