Melatonin is often sold as a natural sleep aid that is non addictive and a safe alternative to habit forming sleep pills, but does that mean it is safe to take every night?
Melatonin is a hormone naturally produce by the pineal gland (located in your brain) and is used to regulate your circadian rhythm and force your body to go to bed. People looking for some extra help falling asleep have started using it as a natural sleep aid!
Melatonin pills and gummies are made of synthetic versions of the hormone that are artificially produced in the lab! Read more to find out if this natural sleep aid is safe for short and long term use!
Side Effects of Long Term Use
Even though Melatonin is all natural we had to wonder about side effects from long term usage. After some research we found a few side effects as well as a small chance for dependency! If you rely purely on Melatonin every night for sleep and suddenly have to stop taking the pills every night you may experience more sever problems falling asleep!
Other commonly reported side effects of taking Melatonin every night:
- Headaches
- Upset stomach
- REM sleep disorders
Stopping Melatonin After Extended Use
Quitting Melatonin can be rough, but it is possible to get your body back to a natural, sleep aide free sleep cycle in a few weeks if you follow these tips!
- First, we recommend avoiding drugs and alcohol while stopping taking Melatonin
- Second, improve your diet by cooking meals at home instead of eating out
- Third, exercise every day so your body is tired and ready for bed
- Fourth, work to remove external stress from your life so you can sleep worry free
- Fifth, try another natural sleep aid like Kratom or warm milk
Our Verdict
In the end it is a personal decision if you should take Melatonin nightly to help you sleep. While there are some minor negatives to extended usage – especially if you take a large amount – and detoxing can be rough for the first week we know that getting a good night sleep is essential to a successful day!
Marie Seska
Marie Seska is one of the most trusted sources on the net for sleep information. She searches the web - as well as the latest medical journals to bring her readers the latest news and information.
