Here's what she recommends doing before reaching for a supplement: Though taking a melatonin additive every day doesn't generally lead to adverse effects, sometimes extra melatonin isn't needed, says Ju. "Before someone takes melatonin, I would recommend that they actually work on their light exposure in the hour or so before bed time." "The effect of light on suppressing the melatonin that people have already in their brains is very strong, meaning the effect of light is probably 10 times that of melatonin," says Ju. In order for natural melatonin to be truly effective, it's best to be in a dark setting and limit light exposure because light prevents the hormone from doing its job, according to Ju. What else is important to know about melatonin? In general, a dose between one to six milligrams is typically used for adults, and anything above that doesn't usually provide additional benefits. Melatonin, when dosed correctly, will not make you feel groggy or lead to deep sleep that makes it difficult for you to wake up, she says. "And if they're trying it for the first time to actually cut it in half and try 1.5 milligrams." "When I counsel my patients, I recommend to them that they get at least a three-milligram-sized tablet," Ju says. And some supplements even included serotonin which may interfere with a person's sleep, according to the study. "They found that the dosage that's present inside the actual melatonin pills doesn't always match what's on the label," Ju says. With this in mind, researchers conducted a study in 2017, comparing different brands of melatonin supplements including tablets, gummies, liquids and more. Both the dosage and type of supplement you take can lead to vastly different experiences, Ju says.Ĭonsider, too, that nutritional supplements like melatonin aren't subject to the same regulations as medications, she says. Time isn't the only factor to help determine how melatonin supplements will affect your sleep. Which type of melatonin supplement should I take? "For people who have a problem with their internal clocks, if they have a circadian disorder, like a night owl type, we will recommend that those individuals take melatonin about an hour or two before their desired bedtime," she says.īut, most people don't have a circadian disorder and those who are taking the supplements solely to get to sleep, "can take it at bed time or just 15 minutes prior," Ju says. Folks with a delayed circadian phase are commonly referred to as night owls. Knowing whether or not you have a circadian rhythm disorder will dictate how close to bedtime you should take a supplement. When's the best time to take melatonin before bed?īefore deciding the best time to take melatonin, you should make one clear distinction, says Ju.
We asked her to help answer three key questions about using melatonin to get better sleep. Yo-El Ju is a neurologist and sleep medicine specialist at Washington University in St. You may also want a better sense of how the supplements work or what melatonin does for the body. And you may be wondering if there is an optimal time to take your dose before bed. Melatonin supplements can be found in the form of drops, gummies, liquids and tablets and are available at pharmacies like CVS, big-box stores like Target and online via DTC brands that offer supplements for just about anything.īut like with most vitamins and supplements, the directions for taking melatonin can be pretty vague.
0 kommentar(er)
