What Is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in your brain.
It’s primarily responsible for regulating your body’s circadian rhythm to manage your natural sleep cycle.
Therefore, it’s often used as a sleep aid to combat issues like insomnia.
It’s widely available in the US and Australia as an over-the-counter medication but requires a prescription in other parts of the world, such as Europe.
In addition to improving sleep, melatonin is also involved in managing immune function, blood pressure and cortisol levels.
Plus, it acts as an antioxidant, with some research finding that it can significantly affect many health conditions.
In fact, studies show that melatonin may improve eye health, reduce symptoms of seasonal depression and even provide relief from acid reflux.
Can Support Better Sleep
Melatonin is often called the sleep hormone — and for good reason.
It’s one of the most popular sleep aids and a common natural remedy to treat issues like insomnia.
Multiple studies have demonstrated that melatonin can support better sleep.
One study in 50 people with insomnia showed that taking melatonin two hours before bed helped people fall asleep faster and enhanced overall sleep quality.
Another large analysis of 19 studies in children and adults with sleep disorders found that melatonin reduced the amount of time it took to fall asleep, increased total sleep time and improved sleep quality.
However, though melatonin is associated with fewer side effects than other sleep medications, it may be less effective.
