However, ask a doctor or pharmacist for advice about stopping melatonin if you have been taking it for a long time or if you're worried about becoming dependent on it. Do not drive a car, ride a bike or operate machinery if melatonin makes you sleepy, gives you blurred vision, or makes you feel dizzy, clumsy or unable to concentrate or make decisions.
This may be more likely when you first start taking melatonin, but could happen at any time. For example, when starting another medicine. It's an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected.
It's your responsibility to decide if it's safe to drive. If you're in any doubt, do not drive. UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure whether it's safe for you to drive while taking melatonin.
There's no firm evidence to suggest that taking melatonin will reduce fertility in either men or women. But speak to a pharmacist or doctor if you're trying to get pregnant. They may want to review your treatment. Melatonin does not affect how contraception works, including the combined pill and emergency contraception. However, your levels of melatonin can increase when taking the combined pill or hormone replacement therapy HRT.
Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before taking melatonin if this applies to you. Do not have drinks that contain caffeine including coffee, cola or energy drinks while you're taking melatonin. Alcohol and melatonin together can make you sleep very deeply, so you do not breathe properly and can have difficulty waking up.
In some countries, melatonin is available to buy in health food shops or online. It is sold as a complementary medicine and comes as "immediate-release" capsules, tablets or a liquid that your drink.
However, these supplements are not authorised for sale in the UK. Melatonin is a prescription-only medicine in the UK. Ordering melatonin online is not recommended. Find out more about the dangers of buying medicines online. Using cannabis, heroin or methadone with melatonin will increase the medicine's sleep-inducing effects.
You could go into a very deep sleep and have difficulty waking up. Talk to a doctor if you think you might use recreational drugs while you're taking melatonin. There are a number of things you can do to help yourself beat insomnia , such as:. Some people find sleeping tablets you can buy in a pharmacy helpful. But these do not cure insomnia and can have unwanted side effects. Do not take any medicines or herbal remedies that make you feel sleepy while taking melatonin.
Page last reviewed: 8 November Next review due: 8 November Melatonin - for sleep problems On this page About melatonin Key facts Who can and cannot take melatonin How and when to take it Side effects How to cope with side effects Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions.
About melatonin Melatonin is a hormone that occurs naturally in your body. Melatonin is used to treat sleep problems in people aged 55 and over. Melatonin is mainly used to treat sleep problems in adults aged 55 or older. You'll usually take it for 1 to 4 weeks. Some people may get a headache after taking melatonin, or feel tired, sick or irritable the next day.
Avoid drinking alcohol or smoking while taking melatonin. These stop the medicine working as well as it should. Melatonin is also known by the brand name Circadin. To make sure melatonin is safe for you, tell your doctor if you: have had an allergic reaction to melatonin or any other medicines in the past have liver or kidney problems have rheumatoid arthritis , multiple sclerosis or lupus , or any other autoimmune condition.
Follow the instructions that come with your medicine if you're taking melatonin to: prevent headaches treat jet lag If your child is prescribed melatonin, follow the doctor's instructions carefully. For sleep problems in adults Your doctor will prescribe 2mg slow-release or prolonged-release tablets.
How to take it For sleep problems in adults, the usual dose is one 2mg tablet. Take melatonin after food. Swallow the tablet whole. Do not crush or chew it. What if I forget to take it?
What if I take too much? Urgent advice: Get advice from now if:. Most people will not have any side effects when taking melatonin.
Common side effects These common side effects happen in more than 1 in people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or do not go away: feeling sleepy or tired in the daytime headache stomach ache or feeling sick nausea feeling dizzy feeling irritable or restless dry mouth dry or itchy skin pains in your arms or legs strange dreams or night sweats Serious side effects Serious side effects are rare and happen to less than 1 in 1, people.
Speak to a doctor as soon as possible if you: start feeling low or sad — this could be a sign of depression get blurry vision or your eyes become more watery than usual feel faint or pass out start feeling confused or dizzy, or things seem to be spinning around you vertigo have any bleeding that does not stop, unexplained bruising or blood in your urine get psoriasis. Serious allergic reaction In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to melatonin.
However, melatonin itself will not knock you out. Melatonin supplements are popular among people with insomnia and jet lag. You can get melatonin in many countries without a prescription. Melatonin is a hormone that the pineal gland makes naturally. It helps you fall asleep by calming the body before bed. Melatonin also helps regulate your body temperature, your blood pressure, and the levels of some hormones 5 , 6 , 7.
It can reduce levels of dopamine , a hormone that helps you stay awake. Although the exact way melatonin helps you fall asleep is unclear, research suggests these processes can help you fall asleep.
As melatonin helps your body prepare for sleep, people who do not make enough of it at night can have trouble falling asleep. Stress, smoking, exposure to too much light at night including blue light , not getting enough natural light during the day, shift work, and aging all affect melatonin production 13 , 14 , 15 , Its levels rise at nighttime.
While additional research is needed, current evidence indicates that taking melatonin before bed may help you get to sleep 17 , 18 , 19 , For example, an analysis of 19 studies on people with sleep disorders found that melatonin helped reduce the time it took to fall asleep by an average of 7 minutes.
In many of these studies, people also reported significantly better quality of sleep Additionally, melatonin can help with jet lag , a temporary sleep disorder. Shift workers may also experience jet-lag symptoms since they work during a time normally saved for sleep Melatonin can help reduce jet lag by syncing your internal clock with the time change For instance, an analysis of nine studies explored the effects of melatonin in people who traveled through five or more time zones.
Scientists found that melatonin was remarkably effective at reducing the effects of jet lag. The analysis also found that both lower doses 0.
Evidence shows that melatonin may help you fall asleep faster. In addition, it may help people with jet lag get to sleep. It has powerful antioxidant benefits that could help lower the risk of eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration AMD In one study, scientists asked people with AMD to take 3 mg daily of melatonin over 6 to 24 months.
Taking melatonin daily seems to protect the retinas and delay damage from AMD, without any significant side effects The antioxidant properties of melatonin may help treat stomach ulcers and alleviate heartburn A study with 21 participants found that taking melatonin and tryptophan along with omeprazole helped stomach ulcers caused by the bacteria H. Omeprazole is a common medication for acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD Melatonin helped reduce heartburn and was even more effective when combined with omeprazole Future studies will help clarify how effective melatonin is in treating stomach ulcers and heartburn.
Tinnitus is a condition characterized by a constant ringing in the ears. Interestingly, researchers recommend considering taking melatonin to help reduce symptoms of significant tinnitus and help you get to sleep In one study, 61 adults with tinnitus took 3 mg of melatonin before bed for 30 days. It helped reduce the effects of tinnitus and significantly improved sleep quality Human growth hormone HGH is naturally released during sleep.
In healthy young men, taking melatonin may help increase HGH levels. Studies have shown that melatonin can make the pituitary gland, the organ that releases HGH, more sensitive to the hormone that releases HGH 30 , In addition, one small study showed that both lower 0.
Another study found that 5 mg of melatonin combined with resistance training increased the levels of HGH in men while lowering the levels of somatostatin, a hormone that inhibits HGH Melatonin may support eye health, ease tinnitus symptoms, treat stomach ulcers and heartburn, and increase growth hormone levels in young men. For instance, start with 0.
If that does not seem to help you fall asleep, try increasing your dose to 3—5 mg. Taking more melatonin than this likely will not help you fall asleep faster. Melatonin is widely available in the United States. If you want to try melatonin, start with 0.
If that does not work, try increasing it to 3—5 mg or follow the instructions on the supplement. Current evidence suggests that melatonin supplements are safe, nontoxic, and not addictive 33 , That being said, some people may experience mild side effects , such as:. Melatonin may also interact with a variety of medications. Talk to your health care provider if you have diabetes or high blood pressure.
Melatonin supplements may also raise blood-sugar levels and increase blood pressure levels in people taking some hypertension medications. One of the best things you can do to protect and improve your health is to stay informed. Health Home Wellness and Prevention. Melatonin for Sleep: Does It Work? Consider melatonin sleep help for occasional insomnia.
Use melatonin sleep supplements wisely and safely.
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