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The first thing we should be clear about is, what exactly is
melatonin? Melatonin is a substance (a hormone) secreted by the
pineal gland in the brain that has a rapid, mild
sleepiness-inducing effect. For this reason, some people take
melatonin for insomnia to help regulate their normal sleep
cycle, although some concerns remain about its safety,
especially for long-term use.
Circadian Rhythms
Your circadian rhythm can be defined as the normal daily cycles
that your body goes through. During each 24-hour cycle, levels
of hormones rise and fall depending on the moment of the day;
your kidneys produce more urine during the day and less at
night; and your body temperature is higher at some times of the
day than others (it tends to fall just before we go to sleep,
for example). These are normal, rhythmic changes that help us
be alert and functioning when we need to be, and to rest and
rejuvenate at other times.
Some people believe that taking melatonin for insomnia helps
maintain your normal sleep cycle. This belief is based on the
fact that melatonin levels increase as it gets dark and peak
during the middle of the night, and so melatonin is seen as
synchronizing your sleep to the night. In fact, research tends
to show that melatonin does not control sleep as such, but most
likely is only one of many factors that explain why sleep during
the night seems deeper, more refreshing and more restful.
Melatonin For Insomnia Caused By Circadian Rhythm Disorders
There are certain times when your normal sleep cycle gets
disrupted – you feel sleepy during the day and can’t sleep at
night. One example of this is jet lag, when your body is on one
time, and the location where you have just arrived is on another
time. Your body continues to produce melatonin on its usual
schedule. It may be breakfast time in London, but your body
feels that it should be fast asleep and shouldn’t be woken for
quite some time yet. In this particular situation, it can
indeed be helpful to take melatonin, although it seems that it
is much more effective for people traveling eastwards than
those going westward.
Another group of people who may benefit from taking melatonin
for insomnia is night workers. People who work during the night
get their biological clocks really messed up for two reasons.
First, they are awake during the dark hours and try to sleep
during the light hours. But then, when they have one or more
days off work, their natural instinct is to synchronize their
timetables again with the family and friends around them and
they try to resume a normal sleep schedule. Thus, they are
constantly changing their hours of sleep. In these cases, since
melatonin production is suppressed by light, it does indeed seem
to be helpful to take melatonin for insomnia when you are trying
to sleep during daylight hours.
Although much more research remains to be done, it seems clear
that taking melatonin for insomnia can be helpful when the
insomnia is due to changes in your normal sleep cycle. It can
either supplement the melatonin your body produces naturally,
so that you can sleep during the day, or it can help reset your
biological clock so that you sleep better at night.
In all cases, however, it must be remembered that insomnia is a
symptom of many different disorders, including neurological and
other medical disorders and psychiatric problems, and as such
requires evaluation by a physician. In certain cases, melatonin
may not be an appropriate treatment and should never be used
except under a physician’s supervision.
About The Author: Terry Roberts is a professional translator
and linguist, with a wide range of interests. To read more
about insomnia – and how to treat it – visit his
Spanish-language website http://www.acercadelinsomnio.com
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