It’s the middle of the night, and you’re staring at the ceiling, thinking about work, or bills, or the kids.
Melatonin supplements may also raise blood-sugar levels and increase blood pressure levels in people taking some hypertension medications.Sleep Sleeping Pills and Natural Sleep Aids All you need to know about prescription and over-the-counter sleep medications-as well as effective insomnia treatments that don’t come in pill form.Īre sleeping pills or sleep aids right for you? Talk to your health care provider if you have diabetes or high blood pressure. “Be sure you’re also relaxing before bed, keeping the lights low and sleeping in a cool, dark, comfortable bedroom for optimal results.” Skip melatonin for sleep if …ĭo not use melatonin if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or have an autoimmune disorder, a seizure disorder or depression. “After that, stop and see how your sleep is,” he suggests. If melatonin does seem to help, it’s safe for most people to take nightly for one to two months. “And if your sleep problems continue, talk with your health care provider. “If melatonin for sleep isn’t helping after a week or two, stop using it,” says Buenaver.
Also, get outside for natural light exposure. “You can also adjust your sleep-wake schedule to be in sync with your new time zone by simply staying awake when you reach your destination-delaying sleep until your usual bedtime in the new time zone. To ease jet lag, try taking melatonin two hours before your bedtime at your destination, starting a few days before your trip. Take 1 to 3 milligrams two hours before bedtime. Use melatonin sleep supplements wisely and safely. “You may want to try melatonin for sleep if you have difficulty for more than a night or two.” Research shows that a supplement may help people with insomnia fall asleep slightly faster and may have bigger benefits for those with delayed sleep phase syndrome-falling asleep very late and waking up late the next day. “Even sound sleepers have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep once in a while,” Buenaver says. Take a walk outside or sit beside a sunny window.Ĭonsider melatonin sleep help for occasional insomnia. Turn off bright overhead lights too.” Meanwhile you can help program your body to produce melatonin for sleep at the right time of day by getting exposure to daylight during the morning and afternoon. If you watch television, be sure you’re at least six feet away from the screen.
Stop using your computer, smartphone or tablet-the blue and green light from these devices can neutralize melatonin’s effects. “Create optimal conditions for it to do its job by keeping the lights low before bed. “Melatonin levels rise about two hours before bedtime,” Buenaver says. Work with, not against, melatonin’s sleep-inducing signals. If you’d like to harness melatonin’s sleep-inducing effects, Buenaver recommends taking these steps. However, there are steps you can take to make the most of your natural melatonin production, or you can try a supplement on a short-term basis if you’re experiencing insomnia, want to overcome jet lag, or are a night owl who needs to get to bed earlier and wake up earlier, such as for work or school.” “Most people’s bodies produce enough melatonin for sleep on their own. It doesn’t make you sleep, but as melatonin levels rise in the evening it puts you into a state of quiet wakefulness that helps promote sleep,” explains Johns Hopkins sleep expert Luis F.