What is Melatonin?

Melatonin is a naturally-occurring hormone in the body that is released by the pineal gland and it regulates our sleep-wake cycles. As a supplement, it is widely used for the short term treatment of sleeping troubles like shift work, jet lag, or sleep apnea.

Natural sleep remedy

When it comes to insomnia, melatonin is a natural sleep remedy that is trusted and proven effective by many people. It is a hormone that naturally occurs in the body. To know the causal link between sleep and the hormone melatonin, you have to understand the entire process of relaxation and the circadian rhythm or what is usually known as the body clock.

Melatonin is photosensitive in the sense that more of it is released after dark. It is released the whole day but its waxes when it becomes dark, and production decreases during the day. It does not directly induce sleep, rather the secretion of melatonin makes the body calmer and more relaxed which in turn induces sleep.

Melatonin and the body clock

For the body to create and release adequate melatonin, the individual must respect their own body clock. This means you should sleep when it is dark and wake up when it is day. It is advisable that the person sleeps in total pitch black and darkness as it is only in darkness that melatonin is produced and released by the body. A little light can easily disrupt melatonin production in the body. If you sleep during the day and notice light seeping inside your room, you have to have a blackout curtain to block external light sources and have a restful sleep.

Melatonin sleeping pills

There is hope and good news for people who find it hard to sleep in the evenings: there are melatonin sleeping pills.

You might have heard that this hormone is a natural sleep aid and is a great treatment for those who have sleepless nights. When you are unable to fall asleep, or where you have trouble staying asleep, you will need some help and these natural cures do not come with side effects.

Sleep aids

There are many sleeping aids available out there that can be habit-forming. Meaning these do no cure your sleeplessness, but you end up creating a dependence on the pill for sleep. Dependence means that you would need higher dosages later on, and you cannot get to sleep without it. You can get addicted with regular and prolonged use. Many of them have antihistamines which will cause you to sleep, however, in the long run, it can cause you irreparable damage like memory loss.

You might find yourself waking up at night or feeling as if you have a bad hangover. If you want to use any sleep aids, always consult your doctor first about it.

How can Melatonin help you?

When travelling abroad, across multiple time zones, the body clock becomes confused and you may notice disrupted sleep, headache and mood changes. To help your body clock realign without turning to stronger, more high-risk sleeping tablets, Melatonin tablets are a great choice. They contain synthetic versions of the natural hormone and this works to get your body clock back on its natural rhythm, while helping you to fall asleep at the proper time.

The human body produces the naturally occurring melatonin, a natural hormone that helps us relax and be all set for a restful sleep. The hormone does not make us sleepy, or make sleep happen. It only relaxes the body and prepares it for sleep. If this hormone is lacking, we fail to have a good night’s sleep. There are times when our bodies are unable to produce enough melatonin to be able to cure our sleeplessness. When this happens we become sleep deprived and have sleep deficit.

When you opt to have melatonin as a natural sleep aid, you are giving your body the boost of melatonin to help you fall asleep easily and fast so you will wake up the next day feeling well rested and rejuvenated. Melatonin sleep aid is not habit forming or addicting. As it occurs naturally and the body creates it in the required quantities, an additional dose simply takes up the slack due to the lack or low production of melatonin. So, your sleeplessness will only be a phase and will not be a permanent condition that can cause insomnia and other sleep related disorders.