Melatonin Supplement: What It Is and How It Works

Melatonin is a hormone your body makes at night to tell you it’s time to sleep. When you take a melatonin supplement, you’re basically giving your brain a little extra signal to start winding down. Most people use it when their internal clock is off – like after a jet lag night shift or when insomnia keeps them up.

What is melatonin and why take it?

Melatonin isn’t a prescription drug; it’s sold over the counter in many countries. The supplement comes in pills, gummies, or liquid drops, usually ranging from 0.5 mg to 10 mg per dose. The idea is simple: add a bit of melatonin to help reset your sleep‑wake cycle. It’s especially useful if you’re traveling across time zones, pulling an all‑night shift, or just have trouble falling asleep.

How to use melatonin safely

Start low. Most experts suggest beginning with 0.5 mg to 1 mg about 30‑60 minutes before bedtime. If that doesn’t help after a few nights, you can bump the dose up to 3 mg. Going higher than 5 mg rarely gives extra benefit and may increase grogginess in the morning.

Take melatonin at the same time every night. Consistency helps your body lock onto the new schedule. Keep it away from bright screens and loud noises – those cues still tell your brain it’s daytime, no matter how much melatonin you’ve taken.

Watch for side effects. A few people feel headache, mild nausea, or next‑day drowsiness. Those reactions usually disappear if you lower the dose. If you’re pregnant, nursing, or on medication for seizures, blood pressure, or blood thinners, check with a doctor before you start.

Don’t mix melatonin with alcohol or sedative drugs. Both can amplify sleepiness and make you feel unsteady. If you’re using other sleep aids, talk to a pharmacist about timing – you might need to separate doses by a few hours.

How long can you stay on melatonin? Short‑term use (a few weeks) is fine for most folks. Some people keep it as a nightly habit with low doses, but long‑term safety data beyond a year is still limited. If you find yourself needing melatonin every night for months, consider talking to a sleep specialist.

Kids and teens need extra caution. Pediatric doses are much smaller, and melatonin shouldn’t be a first‑line treatment for sleep problems without a doctor’s guidance. In some cases, behavioral changes or better sleep hygiene work better than a supplement.

Finally, choose a reputable brand. Look for products that list the exact melatonin amount on the label, avoid extra fillers, and have third‑party testing. Cheap, off‑brand pills can contain less or more melatonin than advertised, which defeats the purpose of a precise dose.

In short, melatonin can be a handy tool for resetting your sleep clock, but it works best when you use the right dose, the right timing, and keep an eye on how you feel. Treat it like a gentle nudge, not a magic cure, and you’ll get the most out of your nightly supplement.