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SolveYourProblem
eLearning Series:
Please Help Me Sleep Better At Night!
Natural Sleep Remedies
( 22 pages )
Melatonin
& Your Sleep Cycle
Melatonin (5-methoxy-N-acetyltryptamine)
is a hormone that occurs naturally in human body. At night
melatonin is secreted by a tiny, pea-sized organ at the center
of our brains called the pineal gland to help our bodies
regulate our sleep-wake cycles.
Melatonin regulates
the body's circadian rhythm, our internal 24-hour time-keeping
system which plays an important role in controlling when
we fall asleep and when we wake up.
Darkness stimulates
the release of melatonin and light suppresses its activity
in our nervous system. While our pineal gland is capable
of producing melatonin for the entirety of our lives, scientists
have observed evidence which suggests melatonin production
slows down as we age.
Scientists believe
this is why younger people tend to have less difficulty with
sleeping than older people.
In addition to
occurring naturally in the body, melatonin has also been
synthesized in the laboratory and is available as a supplement
without a prescription in health food and drug stores in
the United States for several years, but Melatonin is not
regulated by any government agency.
Because it is
contained naturally in some foods, the U.S. Dietary Supplement
Health and Education Act of 1994 allows it to be sold as
a dietary supplement, which do not need to be approved by
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or controlled in the
same way as drugs.
However, since
melatonin products have not been approved by the FDA, their
safety, purity and effectiveness can't be guaranteed.
Melatonin has
been used successfully in the treatment of many sleep related
disorders.
It is particularly
effective in treating delayed sleep-phase disorders, and
has also been very useful in treating and preventing jet
lag and jet lag’s resulting insomnia.
The proper dosage
varies greatly from person to person. Pills are available
in a range of doses (commonly from 1mg to 3mg). It is typically
suggested to begin with a small dose (around 1mg) and work
your way up to larger doses if necessary.
Melatonin should
only be taken at nighttime; it is usually most effective
when taken about thirty minutes prior to going to sleep.
If you are traveling
across multiple time zones and wish to use melatonin to counteract
the effects of jet lag, you may want to take a dosage prior
to getting on your flight and a higher dosage prior to going
to bed.
If you commonly sleep during the night, melatonin should not
normally be taken during the day, and vice versa, due to melatonin’s
role in adjusting the body's internal clock.
When thinking
about using melatonin as a sleep aid there are several issues
that everyone should be aware of.
First, although
it is available over the counter and has been used for several
years without instances of severe side effects, the use of
melatonin has not yet been confirmed to be safe by a regulatory
body authorized to do so. Of particular concern is the lack
of information regarding melatonin’s interaction with other
medications.
Melatonin is for
adult use only. Not for use by children, teenagers, or pregnant
or lactating women. If you have an auto-immune disease, diabetes,
a depressive disorder, epilepsy, leukemia or a lymphoproliferative
disorder, or are taking an MAO inhibitor, consult a physician
before taking this product.
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