Melatonin: Complete Guide
Sleep hormone best used for timing, not knocking you out. Less is more. 0.3-1mg optimal.
Quick Summary
Sleep hormone best used for timing, not knocking you out. Less is more. 0.3-1mg optimal. 0.3-1mg for sleep timing. Best form: Immediate release.
What is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone your pineal gland produces when it gets dark. It signals to your body that it's time to sleep. It doesn't make you sleepy directly. It tells your body's clock what time it is. Supplementing shifts your circadian rhythm.
Who Should Consider Melatonin?
- Jet lag recovery (the one perfect use case)
- Shift workers
- People whose sleep timing has drifted late
- Older adults (natural production decreases)
- Those with delayed sleep phase (night owls who need to wake early)
How It Works
Melatonin binds to receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (your master clock) and tells your body "it's nighttime now." This is why it's excellent for jet lag and shift work. For general sleep, it advances your sleep phase. Timing matters more than dose.
Forms Comparison
Different forms of Melatonin have varying absorption rates and best uses. Here's how they compare:
| Form | Bioavailability | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate release | 15% | Most common. Works for sleep onset and timing. |
| Extended release | 15% | Staying asleep. Mimics natural release pattern. |
| Sublingual | 30% | Faster onset. Bypasses first-pass metabolism. |
Our recommendation: Immediate release for most people due to superior absorption and tolerability.
Benefits & Evidence
Melatonin has 3 strongly-evidenced benefits and 0 moderately-evidenced benefits.
Jet lag recovery
strong evidenceGold standard treatment. Resets circadian clock.
Sleep onset
strong evidenceReduces time to fall asleep by 7-10 minutes on average
Sleep timing adjustment
strong evidenceAdvances or delays circadian rhythm
Antioxidant effects
emerging evidencePotent free radical scavenger in brain
Dosing & Timing
Recommended Doses
Timing
Side Effects & Interactions
Possible Side Effects
- Morning grogginess. Common with high doses
- Vivid dreams. Common
- Next-day tiredness (paradoxical). With overdosing
Interactions to Know
- May enhance sedatives and sleep medications
- May interact with blood thinners
- May affect blood pressure medications
Frequently Asked Questions
Your dose is too high. Seriously. Try 0.3-0.5mg. Pharmacological doses (3-10mg) often cause morning hangover. Physiological doses (0.3-1mg) usually don't.
Related Topics
About this information: Our analysis of Melatonin is based on peer-reviewed research from PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, and NIH databases. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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