Melatonin: What It Is, How It Works, and What You Need to Know

When your body makes melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal gland in response to darkness that signals your body it’s time to sleep. Also known as the sleep hormone, it’s not a sedative—it’s more like a quiet reminder to your brain that night is here. Unlike pills that knock you out, melatonin helps reset your internal clock. That’s why it’s so useful for jet lag, shift work, or trouble falling asleep due to irregular schedules.

It’s not just about timing. Your circadian rhythm, your body’s 24-hour internal cycle that controls sleep, hormone release, and body temperature runs on light and dark cues. When you’re exposed to screens late at night, that rhythm gets scrambled. Melatonin steps in to help restore balance. But it’s not magic. If you take it at the wrong time—say, right before bed instead of 1–2 hours before—you might feel groggy or even more awake. Timing matters as much as dosage.

People often turn to melatonin for sleep disorders, conditions like delayed sleep phase syndrome or insomnia that disrupt normal sleep patterns. It’s especially helpful for teens and older adults, whose natural melatonin production drops with age. But it’s not for everyone. If you have autoimmune diseases, take blood thinners, or are pregnant, talk to your doctor first. And don’t assume more is better—doses as low as 0.3mg can work for some people. High doses (5mg or more) can cause next-day drowsiness or headaches.

What you won’t find in most supplement bottles is the truth about quality. A 2017 study tested 31 melatonin products and found that 71% contained more or less than what was listed on the label. Some even had serotonin, a prescription drug, mixed in. That’s why sticking to brands with third-party testing matters. Look for USP or NSF seals—they mean the product was independently checked.

And while melatonin is widely used, it doesn’t fix everything. If you’re struggling with sleep because of stress, anxiety, or an untreated medical issue, popping a pill won’t solve it. That’s where the real value of the articles below comes in. You’ll find practical guides on how to time your melatonin use, what to avoid mixing it with, how it interacts with other meds like SSRIs or warfarin, and how to spot when it’s not working because something else is wrong. Whether you’re dealing with shift work, aging, or just can’t fall asleep without a routine, these posts give you the real-world tools—not just the hype.