Let’s talk about taking melatonin supplements to solve your sleep issues.
About 99.9% of my clients are taking melatonin supplements when we start working together. As you can probably guess, the melatonin supplements didn't work for them — otherwise they wouldn’t be coming to me!
I typically hear from insomniacs that they’ve tried melatonin in the past, and while it maybe worked short-term, it really didn't solve their sleep issues. That's because there are usually multiple reasons why these folks aren't sleeping. There are often mental and physical stressors left unresolved that have triggered the sleepless nights and continue to perpetuate them.
With this in mind, I want to shed some light on this supplement that so many turn to in times of sleep crisis. I’ll tell you a little about who may be a good candidate for melatonin supplementation, what some of the risks are of taking melatonin, some things you should consider before you give it a try, and lastly, some natural ways you can boost your body's own melatonin production without supplementation.
Melatonin: The Role It Plays in Our Sleep and How You Can Boost Yours Naturally
Let’s take a quick look at how melatonin operates within the human body.
As always, I want to give a brief science lesson on how our circadian rhythm works and what exactly triggers melatonin production.
Circadian rhythm
Our circadian rhythm is our body's natural clock which times the release of hormones and other bodily processes. There are 2 main hormones that regulate our sleep and awake cycle within the circadian rhythm: cortisol (the alert hormone), which our body naturally produces during the day, and melatonin (the sleepy hormone), which our body produces at night.
Light Exposure
Cortisol and melatonin typically ebb and flow on a 24-hour clock. However, they are also influenced by light exposure. If our eyes are exposed to light late at night (especially light containing blue and green rays), a signal is sent to the brain to suppress the production of melatonin and produce cortisol instead — which is what we don't want.
(For more information on cortisol and its effect on sleep, check out my blog post 5 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Cortisol to Improve Sleep.)
Light exposure also influences the release of these hormones. The reason why is because our body wants to make sure that our sleep and awake cycles are aligned to our environment. Makes sense, right?
Temperature
The other environmental trigger of melatonin production is a decrease in body temperature. Our body temperature has to lower by 2° in order to produce melatonin — which totally makes sense, because if we were sleeping out doors like our ancestors did long ago, then our external temperature (the temperature of our environment), would lower by 2° and, hence, our body temperature would fall. It’s just another way that our intelligent body makes sure we’re asleep at night and awake during the day.
Most physicians agree: melatonin isn’t always the answer.
Thus far, studies on melatonin usage in normally healthy individuals for the treatment of insomnia have been inconclusive. Most physicians don’t recommend resorting to melatonin if you're having difficulty sleeping. But, like with any supplement, it's always wise — and I strongly encourage this — to talk to your doctor before taking, or deciding not to take, a supplement.
Typically, if you're healthy, you really don't need a melatonin supplement in order to sleep well. Your body should naturally produce melatonin at night. However, there are some cases where melatonin supplementation is encouraged based off of the research…
When is melatonin supplementation needed?
Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder
Melatonin supplementation can be beneficial for individuals who suffer from delayed sleep-wake phase disorder (DSWPD). In these individuals, the circadian rhythm is shifted a couple hours later. These individuals are our night owls — but cranked up a notch. Melatonin for individuals with DSWPD doesn't start pumping until a few hours later than it should. This is something that should definitely be diagnosed by a medical professional. When diagnosed and treated, studies show that a low dose of melatonin can help these individuals shift their circadian rhythm earlier.
Jet Lag
Jet lag happens when you quickly travel across time zones and your body's circadian rhythm becomes misaligned with the time zone. Research shows that taking melatonin when your body “should be” producing it, about 30-60 minutes before you go to bed per that time zone, can be helpful in shifting your body clock.
Shift Work
For shift workers who work at night and sleep during the day, it can be really challenging to fall asleep. Their body isn't going to want to produce melatonin if they’re exposed to light during the day when they need to sleep. After all, melatonin is called the “vampire of hormones” for a reason, as it’s only produced (naturally) in darkness. So, taking a supplement could be helpful for these individuals to sleep when they're off during the day. Although, the studies are mixed. I have heard anecdotally from my clients that melatonin does help them to get the sleep they need during the day.
GUt Troubles
Another situation where I find melatonin supplementation to be helpful in the short-term is with my clients who suffer from gut dysbiosis or a gut infection. That’s because 90% of serotonin, which is the building block of melatonin, is actually produced in the gut. So, if we're suffering from an imbalance of bacteria (i.e. a parasite, an overgrowth of fungus), then it could impede our production of melatonin. I see this a lot in my clients.
I ask my clients to take five functional lab tests and two of those tests are: 1) the GI Map, which analyzes gut bacteria, and 2) the Dutch Test, which looks at hormone production (including melatonin).
(To learn more about functional lab testing and how it’s incorporated into my adult sleep coaching program, check out my blog post Functional Lab Testing: the Secret to Uncovering Hidden Stressors of Sleep.)
It's not at all uncommon for me to see that my clients who have issues with their gut also suffer from a low production of melatonin. In these cases, while they are cleaning up and restoring their gut, I will sometimes recommend that they take melatonin in the short-term. Again, this is something that they do need to talk to their doctor about. It's just a recommendation for self-care.
Be diligent and vigilant: not all melatonin supplements are made the same.
Although melatonin supplementation is recommended in some situations, as I mentioned before, there really isn't agreement on whether melatonin could be helpful for a healthy individual suffering from sleep issues.
The nice thing is that the side effects are pretty minor. However you still want to consult your doctor. Some of the side effects include drowsiness, headache, and dizziness.
It’s important to remember that melatonin is a hormone. In most countries, you need a doctor's order in order to purchase melatonin. However, in the United States, melatonin is sold over the counter — and because it is, it's not regulated by the FDA.
There was actually a study conducted of 31 different melatonin supplements, and in this study, they wanted to see if the dosage actually agreed with the dosage on the labeling. They found that 71% of the products did not meet the margin of error requirement, which is about 10%. The actual dosage ranged from -81 to +435 vs. what the bottle label read… which is a little alarming, right? So if you're going to take melatonin, be sure to purchase it from a reputable supplier and manufacturer.
Instead of melatonin, try these tips first:
The good news is that you don't need a pill to naturally increase your melatonin production. There are simple steps you can take to make sure your body's producing sufficient melatonin before bed.
Tip 1: Dim the lights 1-2 hrs before bed
Lower your lights about 1-2 hours before you decide to jump into bed. This way, you’re mimicking the sun setting. As I mentioned before, our body is constantly taking in cues from our environment to tell time, and one of those cues is the setting sun. So dim those lights, and also consider using lamps instead of overhead lights. When light shines from above, it signals to the body that it's high noon and your body may not produce sufficient melatonin. So try to use lamps (or even candles!) instead.
Tip 2: Avoid screens 30-60 mins before bed
When I say screens, I mean TV, iPad, tablets, smart phones, and computer. These devices emit blue light, which mimic the rays from the sun typically present in the morning. These blue light rays are one of the key data points our body takes from our environment to know what time it is. So if our body's exposed to a lot of blue light in the evening, it can confuse our body into thinking it's morning time and prompt it to produce cortisol as opposed to melatonin.
If using a screen is a big part of your wind down process, I totally get it. Just be sure to turn the screen off about 30 minutes before bed. You may also want to consider investing in a good pair of blue blocking glasses. Not just any pair of blue blocking glasses! You want to look for glasses that block 95% of blue light. I love the evening blockers by Stockholm Squared. (Bonus: use my discount code KELLY25 to get 25% off your entire order!)
(Take a look at my blog post I Wear My Sunglasses At Night to learn more about the interplay between light and sleep and how to maximize it to your benefit.)
Tip 3: Lower Your Core Body Temperature
As I mentioned before, another cue that our bodies take to know that it's nighttime is that our core body temperature lowers by 2°. I recommend setting your thermostat lower by a few degrees at night 1-2 hours before bedtime. This way, your body receives the signal from your external environment to sleep. Better yet, if you have a thermostat with an automatic timer, you can schedule it to lower each night 1-2 hours before bedtime so that it happens for you automatically. The ideal temperature for your sleep environment should be somewhere between 62-67°, depending on what feels right for you.
Another way you can facilitate the cooling of your body temperature is to take a warm shower or bath. Initially, your body temperature spikes when you're in the warm water, but then once you get out, your body temperature will start to lower. This will cue your body that it’s time to wind down for sleep.
Tip 4: Get Outside for 2-10 mins in the AM + PM
Last but not least, get outside for about 2-10 minutes within an hour after you wake up and around sunset. Our eyes are looking for the data points from the sun at those times to know when to produce cortisol and melatonin. If you get outside first thing in the morning, you just need about 2-10 minutes (without sunglasses!) and that's going to be a strong cue to your body to start producing cortisol and to suppress melatonin. At the same time, it schedules the production of melatonin for about 13 hours later. If you get out again around sunset (again just for 2-10 minutes), then that is going to help facilitate the suppression of cortisol and the production of melatonin.
I thought I needed melatonin, but now I’m thinking it’s maybe something else….
I hope that you found these tips helpful and that you learned a little more about the role of melatonin in our sleep. If you feel that you have some hidden emotional or physical stressors that are contributing to your sleepless nights, please reach out — I can help. You can schedule a free 30-minute discovery call to learn more about moving forward with a program that’s right for you. Let’s get you back to sleep again.
For more tips, you can read more articles on improving your sleep in my sleep blog. I have a ton of great resources.
My mission is to help you get the rest you deserve to be your best.
Sweet Dreams
Kelly Murray is a certified sleep coach and an award-winning pediatric sleep consultant based in Chicago offering sleep coaching services nationwide.