What is melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone created in the brain. It helps regulate the body’s sleep cycle. Melatonin production is affected by the time of day and amount of light. Usually, the body produces more melatonin as it gets to be evening time and darker, and less when it is day and full light.
Melatonin can also be taken as a supplement and is a very popular way to aid sleep, especially for those who have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep as well as a lack of energy during the day.
What are the benefits?
Melatonin offers the benefits that come from quality sleep. Getting good sleep can be difficult but is a very important part of a healthy lifestyle. WebMD recommends 7 to 9 quality hours of sleep per night to see the most benefits. The benefits that come from good sleep include:
- Better memory & learning
- Improved immune function
- Better metabolism / Less weight gain
- Better judgment, focus & performance
- Better moods / motivation / perception of events
- Time for the body to heal itself
- Reduction in stress / inflammation
- Decreased risk of diseases and health problems
How does it work?
Melatonin, made naturally in the body, is a hormone created by the pineal gland, found just above the middle of the brain. Melatonin production increases at nighttime when it is dark. The amount of light you get each day and your body clock work together to decide how much melatonin is produced. Production of melatonin naturally decreases as people age. When additional melatonin is desired, supplements, usually made synthetically in laboratories, can be taken.
While using melatonin supplements does not work for everyone, many people find it helps with sleep disorders, getting good quality sleep, adjusting sleep cycles to match work schedules, and jet lag. Additional studies are being run to see if melatonin can also help with Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, blood pressure, and more.
How can I get melatonin?
Getting extra light each day and creating a consistent traditional sleep schedule, can help the body produce more melatonin naturally. Melatonin is also available in many supplement forms.
ENP's Restorative Slumber formula is fortified with melatonin as well as jujube and inositol. The formula was designed to provide a calming effect to the nervous system for a restorative night of rest. It comes in a delicious chocolate-mint flavor and can be kept right by the bed – no refrigeration needed.
Sources
“Important Reasons to Get Your Beauty Sleep.” Effective Natural Products, www.effectivenaturalproducts.com/blogs/news/important-reasons-to-get-your-beauty-sleep.
“Melatonin.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 30 Mar. 2018, www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-melatonin/art-20363071.
“Melatonin: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning.” WebMD, WebMD, www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-940/melatonin.
“Top 10 Tips for Getting Better Sleep.” Effective Natural Products, www.effectivenaturalproducts.com/blogs/news/top-10-tips-for-getting-better-sleep.
Ratini, Melinda. “Melatonin Sleep Aid Supplement: Effectiveness, Dosage, & Side Effects.” WebMD, WebMD, 18 Mar. 2020, www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/what-is-melatonin.