Melatonin has been shown as an effective way to treat sleep disorders like insomnia and delayed sleep-wake phase disorder. While a short-term study of seven days didn’t show this happening, long-term studies looking into this still need to be done. Some experts think taking supplements may interfere with your natural melatonin production, as you’re signaling to your brain that it doesn’t need to make its own supply of the hormone anymore. Protecting Your Brain’s Natural Production of Melatonin
In fact, taking a large dose of melatonin (80 mg) was shown to substantially increase prolactin secretion, and as high levels of prolactin are associated with infertility in both men and women, it’s another reason you may want to stick to smaller doses for the short term until more research into long-term use is done. Another study found melatonin supplements increased prolactin levels, which can lead to liver, kidney, and hormone problems. Research suggests taking a relatively small dose of melatonin (2 mg) for one month doesn’t cause any changes in anterior pituitary hormones, except for prolactin. But, as with many melatonin studies, the researchers ultimately concluded the research was limited and there wasn’t enough evidence to say either way. Potential Long-Term Health ImpactsĪ 2019 study suggested long-term melatonin use in children could delay puberty. Long-term melatonin use in children and adolescents needs further study, and there isn’t enough data to say if it’s safe for those who are pregnant or breast-feeding at all, so these groups should avoid supplements altogether. So while short-term use appears to be safe, there’s simply not enough research to say what the long-term effects could be. They reported side effects such as dizziness and headaches after three months of use.īut, most of the time, studies are only one to seven days long. In some long-term studies, participants only experienced mild side effects when taking melatonin compared to those taking a placebo. A 2015 paper, for example, looked at several studies and concluded there was very limited data about long-term melatonin use. Limited Long-Term StudiesĪ 1997 study stated there is no published data on the use of melatonin for longer than six months - and things haven’t changed much since then. Many people turn to external sources of melatonin to help them drift off, but is this safe to do night after night? Opinions are divided. Is it OK to Take Melatonin Every Night to Sleep? Supplements are especially useful to take when you wouldn’t naturally be producing melatonin, such as during the day if you’re a night shift worker or when you’re trying to adjust to a different time zone.īut, most of the time, supplements aren’t needed for daily use as your brain - with the right behaviors - can make all the melatonin it needs for a good night’s sleep. If you get too much light in the evenings - think from your TV, phone, or bright overhead lighting - your brain can’t produce melatonin effectively, making it harder for you to fall asleep.īy taking melatonin supplements, you’re adding to your natural levels of melatonin, tricking your brain into thinking it’s sunset, helping it wind down and start preparing for sleep. This moment is called the dim light melatonin onset (DLMO).īut this production is easily thrown off by many external factors - the biggest of which is light exposure. As long as it’s dim enough, a few hours before your biological bedtime, the pineal gland in the brain will start producing melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that primes your body for sleep. In this blog post, we’ll cover what the science says about taking melatonin supplements long term and how, with a few simple lifestyle tweaks, you can optimize your natural melatonin production to fall asleep without relying on supplements every night. However, it’s still a powerful hormone - just like testosterone or estrogen - so can you take melatonin every night? And even if it’s safe, should you take it nightly?
Research shows it’s effective at promoting sleep and shifting your circadian rhythm (more on that soon) and it’s safe when used short term.
There’s no risk of overdosing or addiction, and it has far fewer side effects than traditional sleeping pills. So, it sounds like it’s the safest option - and for the most part, it is. Unlike traditional sleep aids, melatonin is made naturally by the brain to help us sleep. One study found that in 2018, Americans were taking more than double the amount of melatonin they were a decade before. Many of us have trouble falling asleep and more people are turning to melatonin supplements to help. You check the time, counting down the hours until your alarm clock rings, willing your mind and body to just switch off. You crawl into bed after a long, hard day and…nothing.
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