Experts warn people with insomnia against overusing melatonin pills, as many who take these supplements complain of having the worst sleep of their lives.
There has been a dramatic increase in the use of sleep aids, with 37 percent of Americans reporting somewhat or much worse sleep in the past year, according to Dream Foundation.
As a result, scientists warn against using melatonin to cure chronic insomnia.
“I would say that melatonin is the most misused supplement in the world,” sayingDr. Michael Breus, popularly known as the Sleep Doctor.Melatonin is a sleep regulator, not a sleep initiator.
Melatonin is a cheap and easy-to-make drug that is mass-produced in the form of tablets and gummies. The supplement is marketed to those who suffer from sleep deprivation.
Sleep experts across the United States are warning people with insomnia not to regularly use melatonin supplement tablets as many complain of increasingly poor sleep.
Dosages vary by brand, but doctors told DailyMail.com that adults should take five milligrams per day.
But according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, researchers have been unable to find strong evidence on the effectiveness or safety of supplementation for chronic insomnia, but recommend seeking cognitive behavioral therapy as an initial treatment for insomnia.
In addition to worsening chronic insomnia, overuse of the drug can also cause headaches, next-day drowsiness, nausea, and decreased body temperature.
Luis F. Buenaver, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University recommends Use less than three milligrams of melatonin two hours before bedtime and avoid it if it has no effect.
‘If melatonin for sleep doesn’t help after a week or two, stop using it.
And if sleep problems persist, check with your doctor. If melatonin seems to help, it’s safe for most people to take it every night for a month or two.
In addition to worsening chronic insomnia, overuse of the drug can also cause headaches, next-day drowsiness, nausea, and decreased body temperature.
Earlier this year, experts sounded the alarm about the sleep aid supplement as its use skyrocketed in the US and led to a rise in overdoses in children.
‘After that, stop and notice how you sleep. Make sure you wind down before bed too, keeping the lights low and sleeping in a cool, dark, comfortable bedroom for optimal results.’
Earlier this year, experts sounded the alarm about the sleep aid as its use skyrocketed in the United States, leading to a rise in overdoses among children.
Melatonin, an over-the-counter sleep supplement, has gained popularity in recent years. Its use among adults is estimated to have quadrupled and more than half of parents have given it to their children.
The vitamin pills, available for $10 per bottle of 30 pills, are said to mimic the effect of natural melatonin, a hormone produced by the body in response to darkness.
The substance tells the brain that it is time to sleep by slowing the heart rate and lowering blood pressure.
The graph above shows the increase in children suffering from melatonin overdose.
However, melatonin products, which are not regulated by federal authorities, often contain much higher doses of the active ingredient than their labels suggest.
The supplement has been linked to a 500 percent increase in overdoses in children over the past decade.
A 2022 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the number of children hospitalized after taking melatonin increased by 530 percent between 2012 and 2021.
The data also showed that two children died from overdoses of the supplement. Both children were under two years old and the youngest was just three months old.
It is unclear exactly what happened in the body to cause the deaths, but experts have suggested heart rhythm problems are most likely.
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