Melatonin, a neurohormone produced in the human pineal gland, regulates the circadian rhythm. Oral administration of melatonin liquid has been found to be helpful in treating sleep disorders such as delayed onset and/or shorter duration of sleep. Melatonin has also been found to prevent frequent awakenings at night. In healthy young males, oral administration of pharmacological quantities of melatonin liquid during day time has been found to induce behavioral changes.
Effects on Sleep Disorder
According to the National Library of Medicine, melatonin affects "sleep latency" by decreasing the time needed to fall asleep. Melatonin may also enable you to stay asleep for a longer time. A study at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center reported that melatonin significantly reduced time to fall asleep in children with developmental disabilities. However, melatonin had no significant effect on the number of awakenings versus placebo-treated patients. According to a study at the University of California, San Francisco, Melatonin significantly reduces excessive daytime sleepiness in patients with Parkinson's disease by increasing total sleep time.
Effects on Jet Lag
Orally administered melatonin may reduce the number of days required to establish normal circadian rhythm while traveling across time zones. According to National Library of Medicine, melatonin helps to alleviate jet lag by helping you to fall asleep more quickly. Melatonin also improves alertness by reducing daytime fatigue.
Effects on Human Mood and Performance
A study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology investigated the effect of melatonin on behavioral aspects in 14 healthy young males. Oral administration of melatonin during the daytime briefly increased sleepiness and slowed down reaction time. However, there were no effects on fine motor performance, memory and visual sensitivity. Hence, pharmacological quantities of melatonin acted as short-acting sedatives.
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