Safe for short term use but can cause sleep disorders
By: Christa Burns
Melatonin has been advertised to consumers as a drug free sleep aid that is safe for the whole family. The Sleep Foundation surveyed 1,270 adults in America. The results showed that 27.4% of adults take melatonin as a sleep aid and 38.6% take it every night. However, despite popularity, there are side effects to taking melatonin and it’s not safe to take it every night.
Melatonin is a natural hormone that our bodies produce to help regulate our sleep-wake cycles. Many people have resulted in taking synthetic melatonin over the counter to help boost the amount in their bodies for better sleep. According to the Clevland Clinic, we get a better sleep when we have the highest amount of melatonin in our body. However, Clevland Clinic also said that humans naturally produce all the melatonin it needs.
There are many people who believe that the benefits of taking melatonin outweigh the minor side effects. People who are melatonin deficient could benefit from taking it before bed to improve sleep quality. Healthline.com states that melatonin can regulate sleep, promote eye health and help combat seasonal depression. However, research shows that taking melatonin frequently can develop Hypomelatoninemia and/or Hypermelatoninemia which are caused by having too little or too much melatonin in the body. The Clevland Clinic states that Hypomelatoninemia can cause circadian rhythm sleep disorders that can lead to delayed sleep disorders and irregular sleep rhythms. Hypermelatoninemia can lead to hormone imbalances, drowsiness and headaches.
Is melatonin safe to take every night? According to The Sleep Foundation, melatonin is safe to take for short term use. It is recommended to stop taking melatonin after you see improvements in sleep patterns. Senior communication major, Anna Grace Tompkins says that she purposely doesn’t take melatonin because she doesn’t want to be dependent on a sleep aid. Taking melatonin regularly can create a dependency and many struggle to fall sleep without taking it before bed.
Other studies have shown that there are side effects to taking melatonin regularly. The Mayo Clinic states that some common side effects of melatonin are nausea, headache, dizziness and drowsiness. Operating engineer and student, Kenneth Ward works long hours during the day and has night classes two times a week. He says that he refuses to take melatonin because of the drowsiness he feels the next day. “I actually feel more tired throughout my day when I take melatonin then if I just fall asleep naturally.” Waking up in the morning after taking melatonin can be difficult if the effects do not wear off during the night.
Another interesting side effect of melatonin is how it can cause vivid dreams. Sophomore AUM graphic design major says that she used to take melatonin, but she refrained from taking it because of the “weird fever dreams” it caused. She also stated that melatonin leaves her feeling groggy and extremely tired the next morning. In addition, melatonin is not safe for children to take long term. Pediatrician and pediatric sleep provider, Antoinette Burns states that melatonin can be detrimental to children if taken regularly and that most sleep habits don’t need melatonin to be regulated. “Sometimes, melatonin can cause night terrors, nightmares or other parasomnias, but for other children it could help to reduce those disruptions in a child’s sleep.”
Unhealthy sleeping habits can be tied to many different factors. For example, studies have shown that access to blue light, light from smart devices like phones and tablets, before bed can influence quality of sleep. According to Harvard Health, blue light breaks down melatonin faster than any other light and can be a contributing factor to having poor sleep. If blue light is breaking down melatonin, then maybe before popping a melatonin gummy, you should probably put your phone down couple hours before going to sleep.
Overall, the negative side effects from melatonin come from consuming large amounts over long periods of time. However, resulting to synthetic drugs can be an extreme measure to combat sleep. Changing your habits before bed can be just enough to improve overall sleep quality. The side effects of melatonin can be difficult to deal with throughout the day such as headaches and drowsiness. Taking melatonin regularly can impact your productiveness in daily tasks. As the research shows, melatonin should be taken sparingly for short periods of time. Let’s start evaluating our routines to improve sleep quality.
