Melatonin for Sleep and Other Health Purposes

Melatonin for Sleep and Other Health Purposes

Melatonin is a hormone that your brain produces in response to darkness. It helps with the timing of your internal “clock” and with sleep. It may also play other roles in the body, but these effects are not fully understood. Melatonin dietary supplements may help with certain conditions, such as jet lag, delayed sleep-wake phase disorder, some sleep disorders in children, and anxiety before and after surgery. Melatonin has not been shown to be helpful for insomnia. Short-term use of melatonin supplements appears to be safe for most people, but information on long-term safety is lacking. Side effects of melatonin are usually mild and may include headache, drowsiness, and dizziness. We just updated our fact sheet on melatonin to include the latest scientific evidence, so visit the page now! Go to the fact sheet