Melatonin

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone the brain produces that regulates our body clock and helps control sleep. When exposed to light, melatonin levels decrease, waking us up.

Origin:

Nonessential, Synthetic

Source:

Dairy, Whole Grains, Nuts

Category:

Hormone/Hormone Precursor

Age range:

18-60, >60

Toxicity:

May be toxic in high doses

Melatonin Helps With

• Sleep Issues
• Depression

Outcomes

Consistency of proof

Strength of Effects

Scientific articles

Sleep Latency

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Sleep Duration

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Early Awaking

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Depression

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

Melatonin and Sleep

Sleep is a very important physiological process, as it regulates the body’s functions. It is responsible for promoting / facilitating energy conservation, synthesis and secretion of hormones and proteins, learning and memory through brain changes. Sleep is mainly driven by the circadian cycle, which involves exposure to light, hormones such as melatonin, and hypothalamic activity. The compounds that help regulate sleep work in different pathways, they can facilitate the process of falling asleep, increase the duration of continuous sleep or improve the quality of sleep.

Melatonin and Depression

Depression is a chronic and recurrent psychiatric condition that produces mood changes characterized by deep sadness, mood swings, loss of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life.