Your brain produces a hormone called melatonin in response to the cycle of light and dark from day to night. If your body's production of melatonin is disrupted, it can interfere with your sleep cycle. Taking melatonin supplements to sleep better can interfere with your body's production of its own melatonin. A few lifestyle changes can improve sleep without resorting to artificial sleep aids.
About Sleep Cycle
You don't always have a choice when to sleep. Your body must progress through a series of states to relax and enter a sleep state. The rise in your brain's production of melatonin is part of this process leading to sleep. Your body becomes trained to sleep during a 24-hour cycle to adapt to cultural norms.
If you use stimulants, artificial light at night, or work in a dark environment during the day, your body's clock may become confused. It is not only important to have high levels of melatonin at night, but have a steady progression between low melatonin during the day and high melatonin at night.
Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone produced by your pineal gland. The effects of melatonin range throughout your body. In addition to promoting sleep, melatonin regulates female reproduction, the immune system, metabolism and acts as an antioxidant throughout your body.
Levels of melatonin decline as you age. Stimulants, jet lag, irregular work schedules and artificial light can all disrupt your body's normal melatonin production.
Melatonin for Sleep Disorders
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, small amounts of supplemental melatonin are effective in treating sleep cycle disorder. The Mayo Clinic reports that elderly people with sleep problems may benefit from melatonin. In healthy individuals, taking melatonin 30 to 60 minutes before going to bed can enhance sleep quality.
The Mayo Clinic reports that better studies of melatonin use for sleep disorders are needed. The effectiveness of melatonin may vary between individuals and change over time. Most studies have not investigated long-term use of melatonin supplements.
Habit Formin
Melatonin can be habit-forming. If you rely on melatonin supplements for sleep, you may further inhibit your body's natural sleep cycle. Consult your doctor if you have sleep disturbances that are persistent or are not improved by melatonin supplements. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, your body naturally produces less than 0.3 mg of melatonin per day. Take the lowest dose of melatonin that is effective, normally 1 to 3 mg.
Sleep Better
Making some changes to your lifestyle and sleep environment can help you sleep better without resorting to sleep aids. Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, quiet and comfortable. Turn off the TV and dim the light before heading to bed to give your body time to relax. Maintain a regular sleep schedule and live a healthy lifestyle. Regular physical activity, exposure to sunlight during the say, avoiding large meals before bed and cutting down on stimulants, such as caffeine or nicotine, can help you sleep better.
