Everyone Says Melatonin Is the Natural Way to Promote Sleep, but Is It Safe?

Many people have trouble going to sleep. Often, doctors will prescribe sleep aids, but people may not want to become dependent upon sleep medication. Due to a fear of addiction, many people turn to natural supplements. Until recent studies, the most popular alternative to prescribed medication was melatonin. However, medical professionals are now warning against melatonin’s long-term use, especially at high dosages.

Prevalent Sleep Issues

Some of the reasons why sleep is so elusive may have to do with the impact of the pandemic. Stress, depression and anxiety are nationwide effects of COVID-19 felt by virtually everyone. Psychological distress can be caused by having a major change in life routines, which every person has experienced to some degree over the past two years.

Even without the added stress of the pandemic, insomnia is a problem for between 10% and 30% of adults. This is especially true of people over the age of 60 due to the physiologic effects of aging on circadian rhythm and sleep cycles, which make falling asleep and staying asleep more difficult.

Melatonin capsules often contain much more or much less of the product than indicated on the label, according to independent testing labs

Because melatonin is available over the counter and is relatively inexpensive, it is a very attractive solution for sleep issues. A study published in the medical journal JAMA reported that Americans are taking more than twice the amount of melatonin they took a decade earlier. Medical professionals are concerned that this increased use and higher dosages will have long-term negative effects on its users.

Melatonin Is a Hormone, Not an Herbal Supplement

Most consumers believe melatonin is a completely safe and natural supplement to use on a regular basis. However, according to CNN, “Melatonin has been linked to headache, dizziness, nausea, stomach cramps, drowsiness, confusion or disorientation, irritability and mild anxiety, depression and tremors.” Short term use of melatonin is seen as relatively benign, but most users are taking it daily for months or years.

What’s more, melatonin is not a supplement; it’s a hormone made by the pineal gland, located deep within the brain, and released into the bloodstream to regulate the body’s sleep cycles. Also, melatonin is not regulated by the FDA, and studies have found that it contains anywhere from “-83% to +478% of the labeled content.” Some products also contained serotonin, a hormone that can cause adverse effects if taken in combination with other medications such as antidepressants. In some people, excess serotonin may lead to fevers, seizures or even death.

Though melatonin can be purchased in 3 milligram, 5 milligram and 10 milligram dosages, 5 milligrams is generally considered to be the recommended dose for an adult. However, some products are labeled “extra strength,” and the bottles recommend that users take two tablets or gummies for a 10 milligram dose.

What’s the Alternative to Melatonin?

If what was viewed as a natural solution to sleep issues is now not recommended, what can those suffering from insomnia do? Doctors recommend what they’ve always advised: turn off screens an hour before bedtime, exercise 20-40 minutes daily and cut out the caffeine.

Though training your brain for better sleep by putting your phone or tablet away earlier than usual may seem hard, it is safer for your body. Using a dim reading light while enjoying a good book in the evening will not disrupt your brain’s natural production of melatonin. A pill or fruit-flavored gummy may seem like the easy answer to sleep woes, but researchers say it’s not worth the risk.