Melatonin
Melatonin is a
supplement, widely used for treating chronic insomnia and improving sleep
patterns. The medicine is also used for treating depression, dementia, and
chronic pain. Melatonin is a naturally produced hormone in the body that
regulates the sleep and wake cycle. When you stay in a comfortable and resting
position for quite a long time, melatonin production in the body increases.
This way, your body gets the signal of falling asleep naturally. For those who
face trouble sleeping, it can be guessed that the melatonin production in their
body is significantly low. The Melatonin 5 mg supplement helps to restore the
balance of this sleep hormone and improve their sleep cycle positively.
- Description
- Additional Information
- Uses
- Interactions
- Side Effects
Benefits of
Melatonin Supplement
Melatonin
supplements fulfill the need for sleep in people who are suffering from sleep
deprivation for a prolonged time. The imbalance in melatonin production during the
sleep/awake cycle of the human body is the possible reason behind the lack of
sleep. And, those who suffer from seek help from melatonin supplements.
You can get -
- 5mg of Pure Melatonin
- Improved Sleep Quality
- Quick response time
- 100% Chemical Free Supplement
- Chance
to reset your wake/sleep cycle
What is the Right
Dose of Melatonin?
The standard
dosage of Melatonin for adults is 8mg and it has to continue for at least 6
months. Children can take up to 3 mg per day and it has to continue for 3 months.
Usually, it is recommended to keep the tablet under your tongue and let it
dissolve in a few minutes. However, you can always speak to your healthcare
provider for any sort of dosage adjustment and modifying the swallowing
technique.
When to Take Melatonin?
If you are starting with Melatonin recently, you can start with 2mg in the beginning. The ideal timeline to take the medicine would be 30 minutes to 60 minutes before bedtime. You can gradually increase the dosage to 2-3 tablets before bedtime and see if it works for you or not. You can take a maximum of 5 tablets (10mg) in a day, before going to bed.
What is Melatonin overdose?
Getting too much Melatonin into your system not only stops the medicine from fulfilling its purpose but leads to some adverse side effects. One of the major impacts of melatonin overdose is sleep disruption because the overdose disrupts the circadian rhythm.
Also, after the overdose, you may start feeling extremely sleepy during the day. Even, if you can manage to sleep at night, your sleep routine may be disrupted by nightmares and vivid dreams. Other side effects of an overdose include -
- Dizziness
- Joint pain
- Diarrhea
- Anxiety
- Severe headache
- Nausea
Too much melatonin
can also adversely affect blood pressure levels and it will decrease the
natural melatonin production in the body as well. So, the dosage of Melatonin
supplement should not cross the limit of 10mg. For example, taking 30-40mg of
melatonin supplements in a day can prove to be extremely harmful.
What is the right Melatonin dose for Jet Lag?
If you frequently
travel for a long time on a plane or feel severely jet lagged, taking a dose of
Melatonin can help you to overcome the irritable feeling of not feeling
comfortable despite all the tiredness. Take as little as 0.5 mg dose for jet
lag issues. You can go up to 5 mg if you want, but not more than that.
What is the right method of taking Melatonin?
The right method of taking Melatonin is not to swallow it with the use of water or any other chemical-free juice but rather to keep it on the tongue and let it get absorbed with your saliva. For some of the brands, it is recommended to keep the medicine under the tongue and let it be absorbed as well.
Who Can Have
Melatonin?
The people who can
have Melatonin are those who -
- Need
help falling asleep at the standard bedtime. Taking a dose of Melatonin
before going to bed helps them to fall asleep quickly compared to their
previous hours.
- Are not
so chronically insomniacs, but face trouble sleeping due to other
conditions like jet lag.
- Take
beta-blocker medicines like medicines for high blood pressure that often
cause sleep problems
- Cancer
patients undergoing chemotherapy and having difficulty sleeping (under the
supervision of healthcare providers)
- Are
suffering from post-surgical agitation and confusion after being given
anesthesia
- Have
anxiety issues before going through a procedure
- Have
frequent episodes of migraine that affect the sleep cycle
Who Shouldn’t Have
Melatonin?
The people who
cannot have Melatonin are those -
- Who are
pregnant or breastfeeding as there is not enough evidence on the fact
whether the medicine is safe to be used during pregnancy or not.
- Melatonin
is not ideal for people who have or are suffering from seizure disorders.
- People
who are suffering from liver or kidney diseases may not be able to digest
melatonin and that will make them more vulnerable to side effects.
- Melatonin
is not ideal for people who have autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis,
rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus.
- People
who are taking hypertension medications to reduce their high blood
pressure are not recommended to take Melatonin
- Older
people who are suffering from dementia should refrain from taking
Melatonin
- Melatonin
often affects patients with diabetes. So, those who have diabetes should
talk to their healthcare provider before starting to take this medicine.
Misconceptions
about the Uses of Melatonin in Different Medical Conditions
There are a few
misconceptions regarding the effectiveness of Melatonin on certain health
conditions that you need to learn about.
- It is
not correct information that athletes or cyclists have a chance of better
performance when they take Melatonin to improve performance.
- There
is no reality in the information that taking Melatonin helps in improving
appetite or promotes weight loss.
- For
people with Alzheimer's, the medicine might help people to go down to
sleep early following the bedtime routine, but it cannot prevent memory
loss.
- The
medicine does not help in dealing with depression at all. Rather,
sometimes the medicine negatively impacts people suffering from
depression.
Melatonin may
interact with some drugs, leading you to experience unwanted side effects. So,
get to know some of such common drug interactions that may occur. Make sure
that you consult your doctor before reconfirming the dosage of Melatonin to
stay away from those interactions.
- Melatonin
can lower the blood sugar level in your body. Therefore, those who are
suffering from diabetes and already have medicines to keep the level low
can experience a sudden drop in their sugar level.
- When
you take Fluvoxamine and combine it with a Melatonin supplement, it can
increase the overall production of melatonin in the body and you may start
encountering more side effects than before.
- The
same thing can happen if you combine Melatonin supplements with birth
control pills. Birth control pills increase the level of Melatonin in the
body and as a result, you may experience severe side effects.
- You
must not take any other sedative medications while you are already on
Melatonin supplement. When both medicines will work towards making you
fall asleep, it might cause an overdose, and also lead you to experience
serious breathing problems.
- Combining
Methamphetamine and Melatonin will result in increasing the side effects
of methamphetamine.
Like all the other
medicines, Melatonin has certain side effects too.
Common Side Effects of Melatonin
- Headache
- Feeling sleepy and drowsy
- Stomachache
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Feeling restless
- Dry skin
- Pain in arms and legs
- Dry mouth
Although, it is
not obvious that everyone having Melatonin will encounter these sorts of side
effects. If you are feeling any of the above side effects in the body, you may
ignore those. However, if you feel any of these side effects are taking a toll
on your daily life, you are advised to go for a doctor consultation as soon as
possible.
Severe Side
Effects of Melatonin
The severe side
effects of Melatonin, on the other hand, may occur in maybe one out of a
thousand people. However, it is not impossible.
- Changes in vision and
eyesight
- Getting
a feeling of passing out
- Effect
of vertigo as if everything around is spinning
- Confusion
- Unexplained bruising and
bleeding
Other than these
side effects, one may experience allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) because of
Melatonin. And, if any such condition occurs, you must not wait much before
calling the emergency services.