Melatonin, is a vital hormone produced naturally within the body, and can significantly regulate sleep patterns. Deficient melatonin levels can disrupt these patterns, but prescribed meds such as Circadin can help reestablish regular sleep cycles and offer therapeutic solutions for other unrelated conditions. Read more about how melatonin can help you enjoy your next holiday better without interrupted sleep.
Melatonin: Restoring Sleep Patterns
Melatonin is often the go-to choice for adults experiencing transient sleep disturbances. Individuals aged fifty and above widely use melatonin to address sleep onset and maintenance difficulties. Melatonin is prescribed in tablet form, like Circadin, for its convenience for both adult and pediatric dosage requirements. It’s noteworthy that melatonin is not a sedative, hypnotic, or a traditional sleeping aid. It primarily prepares the body for sleep by signaling the autonomic nervous system to reduce blood pressure and heart rate and lower serotonin levels. Individuals with chronic insomnia can also benefit from melatonin through a quicker sleep onset. Furthermore, people with delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPD) may find immediate-release melatonin, like Circadin, advantageous. DSPD is characterized by extremely late sleep onset and subsequent late waking. Blind individuals, children and adults alike, may have disrupted circadian rhythms due to an absence of light signals. In such instances, immediate-release melatonin can regulate sleep patterns and help to overcome sleep disorders. Similarly, people with non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder may improve their sleep cycles with melatonin. In cases of jet lag, short-term dosing with immediate-release melatonin can hasten sleep onset and accelerate circadian rhythm resynchronization.Melatonin: Beyond Sleep Regulation
While melatonin is predominantly prescribed to overcome sleep disorders for patients with sleep disturbances and insomnia, its therapeutic range is expanding, with the hormone being acknowledged for off-label uses in treating various conditions. You can read more about the general prevalence of off-label prescribing here.- Sleep issues induced by certain blood pressure medications (beta-blocker-induced insomnia) may see improvement with melatonin. Concurrently, high doses of controlled-release melatonin can assist in blood pressure reduction.
- There are indications that high doses of melatonin used along with chemotherapy can reduce tumor size and improve survival rates in some cancers. Melatonin may also alleviate pain in adults with endometriosis and expedite wound healing due to its antioxidant properties.
- The hormone’s interaction with the immune system can lower inflammation levels and boost responses to infections. Its interplay with the reproductive system can affect the release of luteinizing hormones (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH), possibly addressing menstrual irregularities and infertility.
- Additionally, melatonin possesses anti-inflammatory effects beneficial in arthritis, asthma, and inflammatory bowel disease. It also regulates fundamental metabolic functions, affecting body temperature, blood pressure, glucose levels, weight, and other hormone levels.
Precautions with Melatonin
Melatonin is not for everyone and should be taken under a doctor’s advice. Patients with pre-existing conditions like liver or kidney problems or autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, or lupus should inform their healthcare provider before using melatonin. Care should be taken when choosing the source of melatonin, to ensure that it delivers the right purity and strength. Read more about why Circadin should be selected here.FAQ
Is it unhealthy to depend on melatonin supplements to sleep?
Contrary to some concerns, we found no evidence that suggests that Circadin (melatonin) disrupts the body’s natural hormone production. Likewise there is no correlation to addiction and/or dependence on melatonin with regular usage.Can you take melatonin with Valium?
Warnings do exist about using Circadin with some other medications, including:- Antidepressants (for example, Luvox or Elavil)
- Benzodiazepines prescribed for insomnia or anxiety
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
