Melatonin can be used for a variety of different types of headaches, but the effectiveness differs depending on the person and the specific headache symptoms. The jury is still out on whether melatonin is an appropriate treatment or preventive for some forms of headache, but it does seem to show promise for migraines and cluster headaches. You should take care when using melatonin for any purpose, since this supplement might actually cause headaches instead of making them better for some people.
Melatonin
The hormone melatonin is produced by the pineal gland of the brain and helps control the sleep cycle. The levels of melatonin in the body rise just before bedtime and fall in the early morning. Melatonin is also available in supplemental form and can be used to treat a variety of conditions, including sleep disorders and different types of headaches. The evidence remains mixed, however, on how effective melatonin is for any given condition.
Cluster Headaches
Cluster headaches involve regular attacks of severe, one-sided head pain. These headaches sometimes begin during sleep, although they can also affect people during their waking hours, and often occur at the same time of day or night. They last 30 minutes to two hours. A dose of 10 g of melatonin taken daily before bed can reduce cluster headaches in some sufferers, according to Medline Plus. Lower doses might not be effective for preventing this type of headache, though.
Migraine Headaches
Migraine headaches involve not only throbbing head pain, but also symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light. Some people experience visual disturbances before the onset of a migraine headache. People who get migraines tend to find that specific things trigger a headache, although the triggers differ between individuals. Taking melatonin before bed might help some people with migraines avoid episodes or have less severe and shorter headaches when they do occur.
Considerations
Other types of headaches, such as tension headaches and headaches characterized by stabbing pain, might not respond to melatonin in the same way as cluster headaches and migraines. For some people, melatonin itself produces headaches instead of helping prevent or treat them. Daytime sleepiness, irritability, depression and stomach cramps are other potential side effects caused by melatonin. You should talk to your doctor before using melatonin to treat any type of headache and ask whether this might be a solution for your particular variety.
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