Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally produced in the human body – brain to be precise. It is released by the pineal gland, that is located near the centre of the brain. Synthetically produced melatonin is often used as a medicine or as a supplement for treating sleep problems, such as troubles falling asleep, insomnia and jet lag.
Melatonin should be taken only prior to sleep. Some research show that melatonin reaches its peak plasma concentration only up to 60 minutes after consumption.
No, taking melatonin during pregnancy and when trying to become pregnant might not be safe – not much is known about side effects during pregnancy and additional research is needed to confirm safety/unsafety of taking melatonin supplement during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Melatonin can be made from animals and microorganisms, but is most often produced synthetically – most melatonin supplements therefore contain synthetically produced melatonin. It can be found in tablet, capsule, sublingual pill and oral spray forms. Advantage of sublingual and oral (in the form of sprays) application is a faster start of absorption.
Its main job is to help regulate sleep circles as it help reduce the time taken to fall asleep. How? Darkness causes the body to produce more melatonin, which is believed to prepare the body for sleep. On the other hand, light decreases melatonin production and prepares the body for being awake.
