When it gets dark, our body starts increasing the production of melatonin, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain. It has a critical role to play in regulating our sleep-wake cycle by lowering body temperature and causing drowsiness. When the day breaks and our bodies register greater amounts of light, melatonin production plummets, sending a signal that it is time to be active until another night-and-day cycle begins. However, this naturally occurring compound that can be found in animals, plants and microbes has other regulatory functions, for example during menopause, as well as restorative powers, like in boosting learning and memory mechanisms. It is also an effective antioxidant.
People with disturbed natural generation of melatonin, due to irregular working hours, jet lag, poor vision or other causes, all of which reduce light exposure, are more likely to develop sleep disorders. It is largely because their internal biological clock, aligned to optimal body rhythms, is thrown into disarray. It does not only mean difficulty falling asleep, but also disturbance of the duration of individual sleep phases, which can result in feeling sleep-deprived, affect mood and the general well-being.
Melatonin has been found to be effective in treatment of sleep-wake cycle conditions, especially in combination with light therapy. Patients suffering from delayed sleep phase syndrome and related problems have shown improvement as their daytime alertness went up and nighttime sleep readiness increased. To sum up, melatonin therapy, best applied under the guidance of your physician, can be useful for:
- people afflicted by sleep problems,
- people often experiencing jet lag, traveling between time zones,
- people with reduced light exposure due to working night shifts or poor vision,
- women suffering from menopause-driven sleep problems
- people with seasonal affective disorder (winter blues).
In addition, having powerful antioxidant effects, melatonin has been linked with aging processes and is often seen as beneficial for longevity due to its role in protecting certain types of DNA.
Research indicates its role in stimulating learning and memory mechanisms.
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* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.