If you find it difficult to fall asleep at night, your endless tossing and turning may be the result of a hormonal imbalance. Your normal sleep-wake cycle is controlled by the levels of melatonin -- a naturally-occurring hormone -- in your body. When your melatonin levels are out of whack, you're more likely to be watching reruns of infomercials at 3:00 a.m. than people with properly regulated melatonin levels. Your doctor may recommend taking a melatonin supplement to help you catch some much-needed sleep. Taking your dose of melatonin at the appropriate time can help you fall asleep fast and may reduce your risk of feeling groggy when you wake up in the morning.
When to Take
For people who suffer from insomnia, a single dose of melatonin should be taken approximately 30 minutes to one hour prior to bedtime. If you're using melatonin to combat jet lag, taking a single dose approximately one hour before bedtime at your final destination should be sufficient, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports. Alternatively, you can take a dose of melatonin one hour before bedtime for the two days leading up to your departure and for two to three days once you arrive at your final destination.
How Much to Take
The amount of melatonin you need to take to reduce insomnia or jet lag may vary depending on your age, weight or the severity of your condition. Adults with insomnia may take 1 to 3 mg of melatonin nightly; however, smaller doses of 0.1 to 0.3 mg may be sufficient for certain people. If you continue to experience difficulty sleeping after taking a nightly dose of 3 mg melatonin, you may try increasing your dose to 5 to 6 mg melatonin nightly. For adults trying to prevent jet lag, the recommended dose of melatonin to take before going to bed at your final destination is 0.5 to 5 mg. You may also take 1 to 5 mg of melatonin at the designated time for two days before you depart and for two to three days after you arrive at your final location.
Consult your pediatrician before administering melatonin to a child. Usually, children shouldn't receive more than 0.3 mg melatonin daily, as larger doses may be unsafe for children under the age of 15.
What Not to Take
There are certain medications that you shouldn't take with melatonin. Avoid using this natural sleep aid if you're taking antidepressants, steroids, immunosuppressants or blood pressure medications because melatonin may reduce the effectiveness of such medications. Combining melatonin with blood thinning medications may increase your risk of experiencing bruising or bleeding complications.
Who Shouldn't Take
Treatment with melatonin isn't appropriate for everyone. The safety of melatonin hasn't been evaluated during pregnancy. For this reason, expectant or breast-feeding mothers shouldn't take this natural supplement. Melatonin may worsen symptoms associated with depression and seizures, and shouldn't be used by people with such conditions. Additionally, avoid taking melatonin if you have diabetes, cancer or high blood pressure.
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