Sleep is a miracle of mother nature. Should I take melatonin?

Chronic sleep deprivation and sleep disorders have become one of the serious problems that adversely affect people's health and have multiple causes: rapidly increasing pace of life, stress, the COVID -19 pandemic, and negative social impacts. According to various estimates, from 28% to 45% of the world's population suffer from insomnia. There are failures in the work of the human biological clock. Compensating for the lack of sleep, the body consumes internal reserves, and its energy and vitality are depleted. 

Adequate sleep is necessary for people in the same way as water and food. The great Shakespeare wrote:

“Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care, The death of each day's life, sore labor's bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course, Chief nourisher in life's feast.”

According to the medical journal The Lancet, British scientists have found that lack of sleep leads to hormonal and endocrine disorders. At the same time, the likelihood of diabetes and obesity increases, and memory problems become possible.

Christian Cajochen, a biology scientist from the Swiss Basel University who studies actual sleep problems, expressed his opinion in an interview with Swissinfo: “Actually, a person himself should feel how much sleep he needs. However, many today do not even realize that chronic sleep deprivation can have extremely negative consequences for the body.”

Recently, nutritional supplements containing melatonin, a substance produced by the pineal gland, which is called the sleep hormone, have become very popular. Studies have established that it begins to be produced by the body at dusk and prepares a person for falling asleep: it calms, lowers blood pressure and body temperature ... But in the modern "round-the-clock society" under the influence of external factors, melatonin often ceases to be produced in the right amount. As a result, many people turn to nutritional supplements to compensate for its deficiency.

Do melatonin supplements help promote normal sleep? Is it safe to take them regularly? Let's turn to the experts.

From a medical point of view, melatonin is not a sleeping pill that slows down brain activity and promotes sleep. “In theory, extra melatonin tricks your brain into believing it’s nighttime and therefore time for bed,” says Mary Ellen Wells, Ph.D., Head and Associate Professor of the Department of Neurodiagnostics and Sleep Science at UNC School of Medicine (USA).

Dr. Dimple Ghassi, MD, from Albany Med Medical Center (New York, USA) states: "Melatonin supplements act on the body in the same way as the natural hormone melatonin." But exactly how melatonin works is not entirely clear to scientists. According to D. Ghassi, it can reduce the level of dopamine, which keeps a person active. Perhaps, melatonin also promotes calmness and relaxation.

Some studies show that taking 2-3 mg of melatonin at bedtime relieves tension, causes drowsiness, slows down some functions and helps to fall asleep. But to fully understand the mechanism of action of melatonin on the body, much more work needs to be done.

Little is known about the long-term effects of melatonin supplementation. This hormone affects many systems and organs, can interact with some other drugs, preventing their therapeutic effect, so you should be careful when taking it, after consulting your doctor.

What dose of melatonin should I take?

Professor of Medicine Bradley Vaughn from UNC School of Medicine says the average dose of the supplement is between half and three milligrams and should be taken one to two hours before bed for maximum effectiveness. 

For those turning to melatonin supplements for the first time, Dr. Dimple Ghassi recommends starting with 0.5 milligrams. If this does not improve sleep, gradually increase the dose until you get the desired result. But in any case, do not take more than five milligrams per night. 

Experts agree that it does not matter in what form (tablets, chewing gums, tinctures, powders) to take supplements. The effect will be the same. The main thing is that the supplement really contains the declared dose of melatonin, and the intake regimen is observed.

Side effects of taking melatonin 

If the recommended doses of supplements are observed - on average, up to three, but not more than five milligrams, serious side effects are usually not observed. At the same time Dr. Bradley Vaughn warns that headaches, indigestion, and worsening of the mood during the day are possible and quite common.

When using more than five milligrams of melatonin per day, there is a risk of serious undesirable consequences. “Higher doses of the supplement can lead to daytime sleepiness, an unwanted increase of blood prolactin, hypothermia (a drop in body temperature below acceptable levels), impaired physical and mental performance,” explains Dr. Ghassi and adds that, given the lack of research on the safety of melatonin, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid it.

How long can melatonin be used?

Dr. Mary E. Wells, speaking of melatonin supplements, points out that "we don't yet know if there are any long-term negative side effects." Therefore, experts recommend taking melatonin occasionally, if necessary, for example, when changing time zones, and if regularly, then no more than one or two months in a row.    

Unlike other sleeping pills, addiction to supplements, as well as the need to increase the dose, does not occur. However, it should be noted that sleep problems may return after melatonin is discontinued. In this regard, experts advise achieving a healthy full sleep by changing your lifestyle. Try it yourself.

Everything is in your hands!

Pay attention to your diet. Not drugs, but quite ordinary foods can help in the fight against insomnia:

• Bananas. Tryptophan contained in them stimulates the production of melatonin, and potassium and magnesium relax the muscles.
• Red fish. It is rich in vitamin B6, which is necessary for the synthesis of melatonin.
• Oatmeal with milk. You will get tryptophan, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, silicon that contribute to good sleep.

Oranges, pineapples, tomatoes, oatmeal, which can be alternated with rice, are very helpful. Keep in mind the restrictions: in the evening avoid fatty foods, exclude foods containing trans fats (semi-finished products, confectionery, various sauces), coffee and strong tea (caffeine has a tonic effect and remains in the body from five to nine hours).

An important positive effect on the quality of sleep is provided by regular moderate exercise, especially aerobic exercise: running, swimming, cycling, Nordic walking.

Create comfort in your bedroom. There should be fresh and cool air - experts recommend a temperature of 18 - 20 degrees. Dark curtains, an orthopedic pillow, beautiful bedding, your favorite pajamas - everything matters. The smell of lavender also perfectly soothes and improves sleep. Get rid of unnecessary noise: the quiet sound of melodic music, muffled voices, calming words, intonations, and many other pleasant things that you find working for you.

It is better to turn off TVs, laptops, smartphones, and other gadgets an hour and a half before bedtime: intense light from screens reduces the level of melatonin in the body. 

Try to go to bed at the same time, no later than 10 p.m., and sleep for at least seven to eight hours (of course, if your profession does not involve the need to work at night or move a lot, changing time zones). When you wake up in the morning, open the curtains wide to let in the light. If you get as much sun as possible in the morning, then, as experts say, it will be easier for you to fall asleep in the evening.

Doctor D. Ghassi suggests another way to combat insomnia without the use of drugs in addition to a healthy lifestyle – cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), in which the doctor teaches the patient how to sleep properly. The effectiveness of CBT methods has been proven in the treatment of many mental disorders, including insomnia. 

In conclusion – reflections on a free topic. I would like to remind you of a child's serene calm sleep, which gives strength, protection, a sense of joy. This is exactly how Boris Pasternak wrote about it in his poem, "The Second Ballad". The poet repeated 17 times, modified, found close words associated with sleep: a restless sleep of an adult and a serene, calm, hopeful sound sleep of children:

In the country cottage they sleep, covering their backs, 
           Just as they sleep only in early childhood.

Do everything to give yourself this serene sleep, which means health and a sense of fullness of life.