Last week, I wrote about Sleep Supplements for menopause (here), and you’ll recall I left a big one out of that article. Melatonin has become ubiquitous with sleep – we see it everywhere! Today, I’m breaking down the research on the safety of melatonin and what we know now about the most effective way to use this sleep aid.

Melatonin is a hormone that plays a critical role in our bodies’ sleep-wake cycle, or circadian rhythm. It is produced by the pineal gland in our brain, which increases its secretion of melatonin in the evening, preparing our brain and body for sleep.

The melatonin hormone was isolated in 1958, and over-the-counter synthetic melatonin supplements became available in 1994. Today, in the US, melatonin is widely available in varying strengths ranging from 0.5 mg to 10 mg in the form of tablets or gummies. It’s considered to be non-habit-forming (not addictive). We can find it mixed with other sleep-supporting ingredients in gummies and powders. It’s even sold as gummies for kids ranging in strengths of 0.5 to 1 mg.

Before we talk about taking synthetic melatonin as a sleep aid, let’s first look at how we can maximize the benefits of our brains’ natural self-produced melatonin.

Supporting Our Brains’ Natural Production of Melatonin

As you read above, the pineal gland secretes melatonin in the evening . . . as the light of the day fades and darkness arrives. In fact, daylight and exposure to light play a huge role in our circadian rhythms and melatonin production

When our retinas are exposed to daylight, a stimulating signal is sent to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), a portion of our brain within the hypothalamus. The SCN is like our bodies’ master clock, and it syncs up all of the timing within our bodies that make up our natural rhythms . . . including cueing our pineal glands to produce and secrete melatonin. So, the timing of our bodies natural rhythms is largely dependent on daylight.

How can we naturally support our SCN and pineal glands to set ourselves up for the best possible sleep?

1. Exposure to Early Morning Light

When we expose our eyes to early morning light, our pineal glands stop secreting melatonin. What does this do? It wakes us up! It also prompts our bodies’ master clock, the SCN, to set an internal alarm, which will trigger our pineal glands to start making melatonin in 14 hours.

“Every single human, just as soon as possible after waking up, should go outside and get at least 15 minutes of direct natural light. Period.”

Michael Breus, PhD “The Sleep Doctor”

I’m not super motivated early in the morning to go stand out in the February cold, so I’ve been doing this on bright sunny mornings for the past 2 weeks. And guess what? I swear I’m sleeping better! See that bright sunshine peeking over the mountain and shining right behind our couch? I’ve been standing in that spot getting blasted by the super bright sun for a few minutes every morning while working on my balance exercises. Killing two birds with one stone. ✔️✔️

Ideally, I’d be outside (and my eyes would be open – Ha!). But I want to illustrate that we have room for modifications, and what matters is that we’re finding a way to take in that morning light . . . even in February.

2. Limit Exposure to Bright Light and Blue Light in the Evening and at Night

I’ve written before about limiting our exposure to blue light from our phones, laptops, and TVs at night. In fact, bright light, especially short-wave blue light, stimulates our brain in a similar way that a jolt of caffeine in a cup of coffee does. Most of us know to avoid coffee in the evening, but can we apply the same thinking to bright light?

Here are some ways to manage our light exposure in the evenings:

• Instead of flipping on your bright overhead lights, switch on your lamps to enjoy softer, dimmer lighting. I prefer lamplight to overhead lighting because it provides a much cozier relaxed setting, and now I understand the science behind why I like it so much! That dimmer light supports our production of melatonin.
• Apply that same methodology to our phone screens. I really enjoy taking a break from my phone at night. But if I need to get on to check my calendar or the weather, I have it set on Night Shift mode that has a blue light filter and uses a warmer color display. On iphones, you can find this under settings, and it allows you to set a timer so that the screen goes into Night Shift mode for a set time period. I have mine set to Night Shift between the hours of 8 pm and 7 am.

If we’re going to use Melatonin supplements, Let’s do it safely.

First, I’m gonna do my nurse thing . . .

We are all vastly different.  What works safely for me may not be safe or effective for you.  
~ You may have medical conditions or be taking certain medications that could negatively interact with these supplements.  
With that fact in mind, please: 
~ Always check with your healthcare provider before introducing any new supplement. 
~ Always include all of your supplements on your medication list.

Next, Melatonin can negatively interact with certain medications, including:

• Blood Pressure meds
• Blood thinners
• Anti-seizure meds
• Certain diabetes meds
• Certain immunosuppressants
• Antidepressants – Depending on the type of drug, some may have interactive effects, and others may have a synergistic effect with melatonin. It should be used with medical supervision.

This is super important stuff, friends! Please be safe and check with your doctors.

Finally, let’s look at the research.

There’s an unknown element about the long-term use of melatonin. The research that has been done on taking melatonin has only covered the safety and efficacy of taking it for a short duration (1 to 2 months).

Some studies suggest that the short-term use of melatonin by older adults has shown increases in cognitive function. Great! I mean, honestly, this makes sense. All of our cognitive function improves with a good night’s sleep.

I have to admit I have difficulties with the “short-term use” aspect of this research. Most people I know who get good sleep results from taking melatonin, including yours truly, use it for longer periods than the researched “short term” period. Although the research does indicate that the results of taking melatonin can be diminished if we take it too frequently.

Personally . . . I’d like to submit a request for more comprehensive studies on the long-term use of Melatonin.
Please, and thank you ~ in advance ~ researchers!

When it Comes to Taking Melatonin, Less is More!

We are trained to think that “Extra Strength” products are more effective, and in many cases, they are. If we have a bad headache, we reach for Extra Strength Tylenol to give us a bit higher dose of the pain relieving acetaminophen. It’s natural to assume that higher doses will give us better, stronger results. However, melatonin is actually most effective in smaller doses.

Here’s how I know this firsthand. For a long time, I was routinely using 5mg melatonin gummies and I was getting inconsistent, “just okay” results. Then, I read a research article about the “less is more” aspect of Melatonin, so I ordered some 1.5 mg melatonin capsules with a combined formula of immediate release (a portion of it is released right away) and extended release (the remaining portion isn’t released until later in the night). (link) WOW! My results were great, and they continue to be really great when I need to take it!

Here’s why this works: our brains are designed to respond to small intermittent doses of melatonin that are released from our pineal glands. Too much melatonin causes the receptors to become unresponsive. Essentially, if they are flooded with too much melatonin, they get over-stimulated and they shut down.

So what does all of this research and information on Melatonin mean for us?

1. We know how Menopause affects our sleep. And we’re aware of how critical sleep is to our physical, cognitive, mental, cardiac, and immune health. (I’ve written more about this here)
2. We’ve learned how melatonin is produced in our brains and how to support and maximize that production.
3. We’ve learned the strategies, sleep hygiene habits, and lifestyle choices we should be making to maximize sleep. (You can read more on this here and here)
4. We reviewed the sleep supplements that have been shown to benefit women in menopause. (Review this information here)
5. So, if you need to take Melatonin as a short-term sleep aid, a lower dose will likely be significantly more effective than a higher dose.

Friends, thank you so much for diving into this with me today! As you know by now, I am passionate about ensuring that we get the right amount of good-quality sleep to enable us to thrive through menopause and beyond. If you have questions or new ideas to share, please reach out in the comments or email me!

Have a wonderful Monday, and I’ll see you back here tomorrow!!

*Note about Affiliate Links: I have created some links to products that I have researched and personally use and enjoy. In utilizing these links, Elevated Nesting may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you).