How Melatonin Can Help You Sleep and Feel Better

– Although poor sleep is a common problem, it can have severe consequences such as an increased risk of high blood pressure or type II diabetes Now melatonin is a hormone that tells your body when it's time to head to bed

And it's also become a very popular supplement amongst those who do struggle to fall asleep In this video were looking at just how melatonin works, it's safety and how much to take (bells dinging) Melatonin is a hormone made naturally by your body Now it works with your body's internal clock called the circadian rhythm Melatonin is often called the "sleep hormone," as high levels can help you fall asleep

However, melatonin itself won't knock you out It simply lets your body know that it's night-time so you can relax and fall asleep easier Melatonin levels start to rise in your body when it's dark outside, signaling to your body that it's time to sleep Conversely, light suppresses melatonin production This is one way that your body knows it's time to wake up

So because melatonin helps your body prepare for rest, people who don't make enough of it may have issues going to sleep There are many factors that may cause low levels at night Stress, smoking, exposure to too much light at night, including blue light from our electronic devices, not getting enough natural light during the day, shift work and aging they all affect our melatonin production A melatonin supplement can help you fall asleep There is some evidence that a melatonin supplement can help before bed

In an analysis of 19 studies on people with sleep disorders, scientists found that melatonin helped reduce the time it took to fall asleep by an average of seven minutes In many of these studies people also reported significantly better quality of sleep They also concluded that the effects of melatonin on sleep are modest, but do not appear to dissipate with continued melatonin use Additionally melatonin can help with jet lag, which occurs when your body's internal clock is out-of-sync with the new time zone For instance, an analysis of 10 studies found that melatonin was remarkably effective at reducing the effects of jet lag in people who traveled through five or more time zones

The analysis also found that both lower doses, so half a milligram, and high doses, five milligrams, were equally effective at reducing jet lag There is some research that suggests melatonin supplements may provide you with other health benefits as well, but this evidence is preliminary This includes supporting eye health, treating stomach ulcers, and gastro-esophageal reflux, treating tinnitus and maybe even helping with seasonal depression Safety and side effects Current evidence suggests that melatonin supplements are safe, non-toxic and not addictive

That being said, some people may experience mild side effects, such as sleepiness, dizziness, headaches and nausea It may also interact with a variety of medications including blood thinners, blood pressure medication and antidepressants So if you take any of those, it's best to check up with your doctor before beginning the supplement There is also some concern that taking too much melatonin will stop your body from making it naturally However, several studies have found that taking melatonin won't affect your body's ability to make it on it's own

So if you'd like to try melatonin, it's best to follow the instructions that come with the supplement Timothy recommends that you start with a lower does of half a milligram to one milligram, and have that about 30 minutes before bed Now if that doesn't work we usually recommend you increase the dose to three to five milligrams Thanks for watching make sure to give this video a thumbs-up, if you found it informative And don't forget to subscribe to Health Line's Authority Nutrition YouTube Channel, by clicking the red Subscribe button below this video

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