Get Price Alerts. Melatonin may be used to improve sleep onset, sleep time, or sleep quality. There are several scenarios where you might benefit from taking melatonin for sleep, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health NIH. These include:. Some healthcare professionals also recommend that children who experience difficulty sleeping due to other health conditions, like autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, take melatonin—although experts are still unsure about the overall safety and effectiveness of this approach.
Melatonin supplements are available in a wide range of dosages, from 1 milligram up to 10 milligrams, and can be taken as pills, dissolvable tablets, liquid drops, or even gummies. However you take it, the best time to use melatonin is about 30 minutes before bedtime. For adults, Dr.
Kohli recommends beginning with a 1 to 2 milligram dose daily and increasing the dosage by another 1 to 2 milligrams at a time. For children, the AAP says the dose should remain low between. The maximum dosage for adults ranges from 5 to 10 milligrams. According to University of Missouri Health Care neurologist Pradeep Bollu, MD, while some people respond well to 3 milligrams daily, others may need more or less.
If you feel like you need more than 5 milligrams, you should talk to your doctor first before trying a higher dose. Find the answers to questions that pique your curiosity in our series, The Short Answer. Ann Pressler, CNP, fields this one. Learn more about vaccine availability. Advertising Policy. You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter.
Q: How much melatonin should I take to help me sleep? Related Articles. Can Melatonin Cause Bad Dreams? Melatonin can be effective in relieving jet lag for people who travel across two or more time zones. Adults may take a dose of 0. It is not considered safe to take melatonin with alcohol. Because alcohol can disrupt your sleep quality and your natural melatonin levels , you should avoid mixing melatonin with alcohol. It is not recommended that you take melatonin with caffeine.
Caffeine is a stimulant that disrupts your sleep-wake cycle and can affect your natural melatonin production. While melatonin is generally considered safe, it is possible to take too much. There is no official recommended melatonin dosage, and people can have different sensitivities to melatonin, so finding an appropriate dose can be challenging.
Moreover, because melatonin is not regulated in the U. Studies have found that some melatonin products can have nearly five times as much melatonin as their label claims, or much less. You may feel especially drowsy or groggy. Doses of 10 milligrams or higher can cause side effects like drowsiness and headache.
Other symptoms of melatonin overdose include:. To ensure safe usage , it is always a good idea to consult your doctor before taking any over-the-counter sleep aid , including melatonin. They know your personal medical history and can best advise you on the appropriate melatonin dosage for your needs. They will also know whether melatonin might interact with any other medications you may currently be taking. Certain health conditions and medications may increase your risk of side effects when taking melatonin.
If you take any of the following medications, be sure to talk to your doctor before taking melatonin:. Additionally, the following types of people may have an increased sensitivity to melatonin, and should avoid taking it before consulting their doctor:. For many people, melatonin offers mild improvements to sleep problems when used on a short-term basis. For others, it may cause side effects or not impact sleep at all. If you find your sleep problems persist after trying melatonin, it may be time to talk to a doctor.
They can recommend other strategies for improving your sleep, such as better sleep hygiene, changes to diet and exercise, or cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia.
They can also evaluate other possible causes for your sleep problems. His research and clinical practice focuses on the entire myriad of sleep disorders. Looking for a natural alternative to sleep medications? Learn about the potential benefits and drawbacks of using ashwagandha for sleep. Studies suggest warm milk before bed may help you sleep better.
Learn more about this and other habits to incorporate…. Could drinking water before bed help you sleep better? It may actually be more disruptive to sleep. We highlight what…. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website.
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Our editors and medical experts rigorously evaluate every article and guide to ensure the information is factual, up-to-date, and free of bias. You may experience a few nights of less than great sleep as your body adjusts. Relaxation techniques like meditation or breathing exercises can help you fall asleep without the help of a melatonin supplement.
Melatonin is not addictive, but taking it every night can cause you to rely on it as part of your bedtime routine. People start associating substances and behaviors as part of the bedtime routine," Dimitriu says.
It is impossible to become physically dependent on melatonin like you could with other substances, like alcohol, Avena says, but you can come to rely on it as a sleep association. If you find you are needing to take melatonin every night to sleep, you may have another health condition, like anxiety or a sleep disorder that is affecting your ability to sleep, Dimitriu says. In small doses, melatonin supplements are a safe and effective way to help you fall asleep, but more research is needed to determine the long-term effects of taking melatonin regularly.
There is no known lethal dosage of melatonin, but taking more than 10 mg can cause side effects, like daytime drowsiness and headaches. If you are relying on melatonin to sleep, talk with your doctor about ways to improve your sleep hygiene. World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options. Get the Insider App.
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