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What is it?
Circadian rhythms
Melatonin for sleep
Dosages
Side effects
Contraindications
References
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| Several studies have shown that ingestion of
melatonin can decrease sleep latency (make you fall asleep faster),
induce sleep, increase sleepiness, increase sleep efficiency, and
increase sleep duration.
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Table from: Brzezinski, A. Melatonin in Humans. The New England Journal of
Medicine. 1997. 336(3),186-195.
| Melatonin has also been shown to reduce the symptoms
of jet lag. One meta-analysis demonstrated that travelers crossing
five or more time zones--especially in an eastward direction--can
effectively use melatonin to reduce or prevent jet lag. This is
particularly true for those individuals who have experienced jet lag on
previous journeys, and using melatonin may prove beneficial for such
individuals even when experiencing a less drastic time change. Studies have also found that melatonin may be beneficial
in helping blind people to establish a normal sleeping pattern.
The use melatonin in the treatment of sleep disorders
appears to be less effective. A recent meta-analysis found that
the use of melatonin is not effective for treating either primary or
secondary sleep disorders. The study did find a moderate amount of
evidence for the efficacy of melatonin in treating delayed sleep phase
syndrome. However, this study contradicted previous studies in its
finding of no evidence to support the use of melatonin in alleviating
jet lag and shift-work sleep disturbances.
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