Melatonin… sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Each of us has at least once heard of such a concept as melatonin, but not everyone knows what it is and why it is needed.
Today we will talk about what melatonin is, why it is needed, how not to overdo it, whether are there any melatonin side effects and how can it be bad. It will be interesting, stay with us!
What is that?
This is a special hormone in our bodies which is also called “sleep hormone” that is produced in the pineal gland. This hormone performs a very important function in regulating the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness.
Thanks to melatonin, the circadian rhythm is being adjusted in the human body. What is it? This rhythm is the so-called internal clock of a person, thanks to which the body determines when to go to bed and when to wake up.
Melatonin is actively produced in the dark, entering the blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Thus, melatonin gives a signal that you need to get rest after a day. About 30 micrograms of melatonin are produced in the human body per day.
However, it is important to note that melatonin is responsible not only for regulating the sleep of the human body, but also has other functions. For example, the regulation of pressure and digestion.
It also participates in the regulation of bone growth and the protection of the nervous system from neurodegeneration.
And of course, it directly affects the human nervous system and reduces the manifestation of mental disorders, anxiety, and pain. Also, this hormone is a powerful antioxidant.
Should I take melatonin?
If chronic fatigue and insomnia bother you and spoil your life, you should think about taking supplements to your diet. Many people choose to drink sleeping pills, but still, it is a remedy that hides the problem and does not solve it.
Taking a supplement will strengthen your body and be a worthy solution to the problem. But it is important to remember that you should choose treatment only after consulting a doctor.
Pay attention to contraindications and melatonin side effects. If you are doing well with your health and sleep, you should not take melatonin just like that. However, remember that when flying to another time zone, such a handy tool will be useful in restoring the rhythm of sleep. Useful for travelers!
In the modern world, it is quite easy to find melatonin, even in any form – both syrups and pills. Obviously, there is no single dose for each person, everyone needs to undergo an individual examination and consult with doctors.
By choosing the right dosage, you can solve the problem with sleep: you will be able to sleep normally and not feel tired during the day. Sometimes melatonin can be useful for children, when there are disorders of neuropsychiatric development, a pediatrician may prescribe this supplement.
What’s wrong with melatonin?
Research and statistics show that there are practically no negative consequences of taking melatonin. Only a small number of people who took sleeping pills with melatonin noted shallow sleep with frequent awakenings, while in the morning they did not feel broken and weak. There may also be such consequences as headache, depression, and stomach discomfort, but this is rare.
As for allergies, there were no signs. Modern preparations do not use the extract from the epiphysis of animals, but melatonin synthesized in the laboratory.
There was no serious harm of melatonin to the body, but it is not necessary to draw precise conclusions, because the treatments have been on the market recently, and the effects have simply not been tracked yet.
Therefore, we remind you once again of the importance of consulting a doctor. Each of us is an individual and each of us needs a certain approach.
Important caveat: do not use melatonin for longer than a month. Doctors are afraid of longer use because there is a great risk that, regularly receiving a dose of synthetic melatonin, the body will stop producing its own at all.
However, once again we repeat that a doctor’s consultation on this topic is simply necessary! And in your individual case, it is better for you to adhere to the recommendations of a professional.
Thus, the benefits of melatonin are obvious, but there is no scientifically confirmed data on the harm. It is only necessary to observe the dosage, do not take it in conditions that are indicated as contraindications.
In other words, everything is good in moderation and only when it is really necessary! All supplements should always be individually tailored to your body in accordance with deficiencies and necessity.
