What is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone that your body naturally produces, mainly in the pineal gland in your brain.
Its job? To help regulate your circadian rhythm — your internal body clock that tells you when it’s time to sleep and wake up.
Think of melatonin as your body’s built-in “bedtime signal.”
How Does Melatonin Work?
Your melatonin levels naturally rise in the evening when it gets dark, making you feel drowsy and prepping your body for sleep. Then, as the sun comes up, melatonin levels drop, signaling your body to wake up and get moving.
Light — especially blue light from phones, TVs, and laptops — can suppress melatonin production, which is why screen time before bed can throw off your sleep.
Why Do People Take Melatonin Supplements?
Melatonin supplements are popular for people who:
- Have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
- Work night shifts or irregular hours
- Are dealing with jet lag after traveling across time zones
- Experience delayed sleep phase disorder (they naturally fall asleep much later than “normal”)
Unlike sleeping pills, melatonin isn’t a sedative — it doesn’t knock you out. Instead, it nudges your body into a relaxed, sleep-friendly state by mimicking your natural nighttime cues.
What You Should Know Before You Supplement
Melatonin is a natural hormone that plays a key role in regulating your sleep-wake cycle, also known as your circadian rhythm. Your body produces more melatonin at night, signaling that it’s time to wind down. Because of this, melatonin supplements are often used to help manage sleep-related issues—especially delayed sleep phase disorder, insomnia, and jet lag.
Unlike many prescription sleep medications, melatonin is considered safe for short-term use. It typically doesn’t cause dependency, diminished effectiveness over time, or a groggy “hangover” feeling the next morning.
Common Side Effects of Melatonin:
While melatonin is well-tolerated by most, some people may experience:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Daytime sleepiness
Less Common, But Possible Side Effects:
- Vivid dreams or nightmares
- Temporary feelings of depression or irritability
- Stomach cramps, diarrhea, or constipation
- Decreased appetite
- Nighttime urinary incontinence
- Increased risk of falls or seizures (especially in vulnerable individuals)
- Confusion or disorientation
- Mood swings
- Reduced alertness
Important: Because melatonin can cause drowsiness, avoid driving or operating heavy machinery for at least five hours after taking it.
Drug Interactions to Be Aware Of
Melatonin supplements can interact with several types of medications, including:
- Blood thinners
- Anti-seizure medications
- Birth control pills
- Medications for high blood pressure or diabetes
- Immunosuppressants
- Drugs processed by the liver
If you’re currently taking any of these, it’s essential to talk to your doctor before adding melatonin to your routine.
Consult a Healthcare Provider First
Melatonin supplements are available over the counter, but they’re not all created equal. The dosage and quality can vary widely between brands. A healthcare professional can help you determine whether melatonin is appropriate for your needs and guide you to a trusted product.
Melatonin Isn’t a Cure-All
While melatonin can be helpful, it shouldn’t be your only strategy for improving sleep or addressing health concerns. Supplements work best when combined with healthy lifestyle choices like:
- Balanced nutrition
- Regular physical activity
- Stress management or mind-body practices (like meditation or yoga)
- Consistent sleep hygiene
- Strong social connections and a sense of purpose
In short, think of melatonin as a helpful tool—not a standalone solution.
Can Melatonin Help with Cancer Symptoms?
Some small studies have explored whether melatonin supplements can ease cancer-related symptoms or treatment side effects—but the results have been mixed and inconclusive.
It’s important to remember that unproven supplements like melatonin should never replace or delay standard cancer treatments. In fact, some products may interfere with conventional therapies or pose unique risks to people diagnosed with cancer. If you’re considering melatonin (or any complementary therapy), always consult with your healthcare provider to ensure it safely fits into your overall treatment plan.
Does Melatonin Help with Insomnia?
Insomnia involves difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early—and when it lasts for a month or more, it’s considered chronic.
According to expert guidelines from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (2017) and the American College of Physicians (2016), there’s not enough strong evidence to recommend melatonin for treating chronic insomnia. Instead, both organizations strongly advise using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) as the first-line treatment. CBT-I is a structured, non-drug approach that has been shown to be highly effective.