We all know how important it is to get enough sleep every night, since rest not only keeps you up to date on your training, but also keeps your heart, brain and metabolism under control. However, it is not usually so easy to say goodbye to dark circles, which makes many of us look for solutions to sleep better.
Melatonin is a sleep aid supplement that many turn to when they have trouble resting at night. But does it really work? And most importantly, is it safe to consume?
How does melatonin influence rest?
Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally produced by your brain, in a gland called pineal . While everyone’s brain produces its own individual base amount of this hormone, this amount increases about 10 times more than normal about two hours before bedtime to help your body relax and prepare for sleep.
However, not everyone goes to bed at the same time. We each have different internal clocks, which calculate our sleep cycles. These rhythms form over time due to the schedule you have created for yourself. There are people who are naturally night owls or morning birds, but the schedule plays a big role.
Still, many people find it difficult to sleep, either falling asleep or sleeping peacefully throughout the night. This is when people turn to sleep aids such as melatonin supplements.
This is an over-the-counter dietary supplement, and is approved, but not regulated. That is, it is difficult to know what the exact dose of melatonin you are taking, since the supplement’s formula may have other additional ingredients. Although 0.1 to 0.3 milligrams of melatonin per day will help you sleep better, most people tend to take much higher doses , about 5 or 10 mg.
Super high doses can desensitize the brain to melatonin supplements, which may make you need more to get the same effects.
A landmark study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found that one of these supplements is more effective at a dose of 0.3 mg. Another study led by MIT, published in the journal Sleep Medical Reviews, found that high doses of commercial supplements, taken over long periods of time, are less effective in helping you sleep and can cause side effects, such as low body temperature and sensation. of discomfort.
Does it work the same for young people?
However, it is worth noting that these studies were conducted in people age 50 and older. That’s because melatonin levels naturally decrease as we age (usually once we reach 50 or 60).
Younger people shouldn’t see that decrease. Melatonin supplements do not usually work in young people because they do not need them , which means that people under the age of 50 should not be insufficient.
Instead, sleep problems in those under the age of 50 are generally caused by other problems, such as stress, sleep apnea, or exposure to blue light (from phones and devices) before bed. Many times, the use of the screen is the problem . When you expose your brain to light that can cause insomnia, you will reduce the amount of melatonin you have. Once levels are lowered, it is difficult to optimally put them back to sleep.
Having a bright light right in front of your face has the negative effect of your brain thinking that the sun is still out, so you must be awake. Ideally, try not to use any electronic devices after the sun goes down and, if you can avoid it, don’t keep your mobile in your room while you sleep, as it emits a small amount of blue light even when the screen is locked.
