Since my first year at Stern, I’ve been taking melatonin whenever I need to be up early the next morning or if I can’t stop my mind from racing while trying to fall asleep. The first time I heard about melatonin was from a friend who said there were no risks of addiction from taking it. Melatonin helped her relax and fall asleep. Sounded like a win-win scenario for me.
As a senior, I’ve still been taking melatonin on nights before exams and occasionally throughout the school year. Some nights it helps, while other nights I’ve needed to take a second pill. There are also mornings I’ve woken feeling tired and groggy, though I never thought to associate it with the melatonin I was taking. Since my doctor told me there weren’t any problems with taking melatonin, I wasn’t too concerned.
My assumptions changed when I was home over the holiday break in October. I was watching the Dr. Oz show—a health related talk show—about the unknown risks associated with taking melatonin. After being shocked by the information I heard, I decided to do some research on the topic to learn more about this pill that I’ve been taking, and I’m sure many friends of mine are taking as well.
You may be wondering, what is melatonin? Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the pineal gland that sends a signal to regulate the sleep-wake cycle in the sleep area of the brain. It pretty much tells the brain when it’s time to sleep.
The problems begin when you can’t fall asleep. What do you do? Instead of taking sleeping pills that have been linked to various health risks, many people have chosen to take melatonin instead. Although melatonin is naturally produced in the body, the assumption is that taking extra amounts externally, via a pill, will have the same effect as the natural melatonin does; in other words, making you tired and ready for bed.
However, Dr. Michael Breus, the sleep doctor on that Dr. Oz episode, explains that the pill form of melatonin will not work the same way as naturally produced melatonin. He explains that taking synthetic melatonin is not a cure for insomnia, nor is it a sleep initiator. Additionally, there are plenty of side effects that many people are not aware of. The reason people do not know about the side effects or any of the health risks of taking melatonin stems for the fact that the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) does not regulate melatonin creation or distribution.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, since the U.S. Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, this hormone is sold in health food stores in the United States and Canada without a prescription, because melatonin is contained naturally in some foods. Therefore, the FDA does not need to approve or control this hormone the same way as drugs. Since the FDA is not regulating it, synthetic melatonin created in factories may not be controlled or accurate to the dosage. Which means that the dosage in your pill may not be the amount listed on the package. This information alone was starting to concern me. So, what is the right dosage that someone should be taking?
Dr. Michael Breus explains that people who should take melatonin are those who have a major shift in their sleep schedule, like working on a night shift or flying. As for the proper dosage, Dr. Breus says approximately 1mg is the MOST that someone should take, and only if it’s necessary. He explains, “that’s how much it takes to have your plasma concentration levels up so that it’s up in your blood stream and having that effect to tricking your brain that it’s night time. Anything over that is over kill. Period.”
What is “over kill”? Dr. Breus says that when people start taking 2-3mg or higher, they have reported side effects of: headaches, nausea, next-day grogginess hormone fluctuations, irritability, vivid dreams and nightmares. Otherwise known as the “melatonin hangover.” In addition, taking melatonin every day for more than three months can ruin one’s ordinary sleep cycle. Dr. Breus explains that people who are taking the pill for a short night sleep have a real struggle getting out of bed, because the melatonin has convinced their body that it is still night.
After hearing this, I quickly walked over to my bed stand and looked at the dose on my pill bottle: 3mg.That’s three times the amount that I should be taking! Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only person taking more than the recommended 1mg dose. On the Dr. Oz show, almost everyone in the audience who said they took melatonin at night was taking at least double the amount that they should be taking. Everyone taking more than 1mg is at risk for developing those “hangover” side effects in the morning.
I then thought, how many people in college are taking melatonin and do not know the risks and proper dosage? I sent out a questionnaire to some students who are taking melatonin. I was shocked to see that these students are taking more than double the amount that I take. Fiona Geudalia, a Super Senior at Stern College, reported taking 10mg when she was having “sleep trouble.” And she is not alone. Of the 13 people who took my questionnaire, there was not one person who reported taking the recommended 1mg dose. Why is that happening?
Talia Sagian, a senior in Stern College, said that the one time she took melatonin she felt like her body was in a “comatose state,” where her body felt “paralyzed” but her mind was still awake. After that experience, she swore to never take it again. Some students reported that taking melatonin does not always help, but they continue to take it for the nights that it does help. Michael Ahdout, a junior at Yeshiva University, says that his doctor recommended taking melatonin for his “trouble sleeping.” Ahdouts takes 5-10mg about once a week and he says it “does not always help.” When I asked in the questionnaire if students thought there were any dangers to taking melatonin, the students had their own assumptions but none of them knew the side effects listed earlier. Some students even reported thinking that melatonin was a vitamin.
Melatonin is not a miracle drug. It will not help you if you are suffering with anxiety, insomnia, depression, or stress. Even though there is no link to addiction, the other side effects should be taken seriously. With exams, papers, school events, and having New York City in your back yard, it’s hard to shut your mind and body and fall asleep. If you take melatonin now, I would recommend first looking to see that you are taking the proper dosage. Make sure to take it 90 minutes before you go to sleep in order to allow your brain to recognize the melatonin you took. Then, try to notice if you have been experiencing the side effects previously mentioned. You don’t want to ruin your internal sleep schedule.
The most “natural” advice for anyone trying to fall asleep is to start unwinding at least 30 minutes before you go to sleep. Get off Facebook, turn off your computer, silence your cell phone, and relax. Try deep breathing, read, drink some hot milk, avoid caffeine or alcohol, have a routine exercise schedule, or even write for a few minutes. If you’ve just discovered that you are living with a roommate with a “melatonin hangover,” trying recommending some of these natural remedies. She will thank you in the morning.
Bibliography
Breus, Michael. “Melatonin: Not a Magic Bullet for Sleep.” The Dr. Oz Show. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/melatonin-not-magic-bullet-sleep>.
“Fact Sheet: Melatonin.” The Dr. Oz Show. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/fact-sheet-melatonin?page=2>.
“Melatonin and Sleep.” National Sleep Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/melatonin-and-sleep>.
Ever Had a Melatonin Hangover?
Since my first year at Stern, I’ve been taking melatonin whenever I need to be up early the next morning or if I can’t stop my mind from racing while trying to fall asleep. The first time I heard about melatonin was from a friend who said there were no risks of addiction from taking it. Melatonin helped her relax and fall asleep. Sounded like a win-win scenario for me.
As a senior, I’ve still been taking melatonin on nights before exams and occasionally throughout the school year. Some nights it helps, while other nights I’ve needed to take a second pill. There are also mornings I’ve woken feeling tired and groggy, though I never thought to associate it with the melatonin I was taking. Since my doctor told me there weren’t any problems with taking melatonin, I wasn’t too concerned.
My assumptions changed when I was home over the holiday break in October. I was watching the Dr. Oz show—a health related talk show—about the unknown risks associated with taking melatonin. After being shocked by the information I heard, I decided to do some research on the topic to learn more about this pill that I’ve been taking, and I’m sure many friends of mine are taking as well.
You may be wondering, what is melatonin? Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the pineal gland that sends a signal to regulate the sleep-wake cycle in the sleep area of the brain. It pretty much tells the brain when it’s time to sleep.
The problems begin when you can’t fall asleep. What do you do? Instead of taking sleeping pills that have been linked to various health risks, many people have chosen to take melatonin instead. Although melatonin is naturally produced in the body, the assumption is that taking extra amounts externally, via a pill, will have the same effect as the natural melatonin does; in other words, making you tired and ready for bed.
However, Dr. Michael Breus, the sleep doctor on that Dr. Oz episode, explains that the pill form of melatonin will not work the same way as naturally produced melatonin. He explains that taking synthetic melatonin is not a cure for insomnia, nor is it a sleep initiator. Additionally, there are plenty of side effects that many people are not aware of. The reason people do not know about the side effects or any of the health risks of taking melatonin stems for the fact that the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) does not regulate melatonin creation or distribution.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, since the U.S. Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, this hormone is sold in health food stores in the United States and Canada without a prescription, because melatonin is contained naturally in some foods. Therefore, the FDA does not need to approve or control this hormone the same way as drugs. Since the FDA is not regulating it, synthetic melatonin created in factories may not be controlled or accurate to the dosage. Which means that the dosage in your pill may not be the amount listed on the package. This information alone was starting to concern me. So, what is the right dosage that someone should be taking?
Dr. Michael Breus explains that people who should take melatonin are those who have a major shift in their sleep schedule, like working on a night shift or flying. As for the proper dosage, Dr. Breus says approximately 1mg is the MOST that someone should take, and only if it’s necessary. He explains, “that’s how much it takes to have your plasma concentration levels up so that it’s up in your blood stream and having that effect to tricking your brain that it’s night time. Anything over that is over kill. Period.”
What is “over kill”? Dr. Breus says that when people start taking 2-3mg or higher, they have reported side effects of: headaches, nausea, next-day grogginess hormone fluctuations, irritability, vivid dreams and nightmares. Otherwise known as the “melatonin hangover.” In addition, taking melatonin every day for more than three months can ruin one’s ordinary sleep cycle. Dr. Breus explains that people who are taking the pill for a short night sleep have a real struggle getting out of bed, because the melatonin has convinced their body that it is still night.
After hearing this, I quickly walked over to my bed stand and looked at the dose on my pill bottle: 3mg.That’s three times the amount that I should be taking! Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only person taking more than the recommended 1mg dose. On the Dr. Oz show, almost everyone in the audience who said they took melatonin at night was taking at least double the amount that they should be taking. Everyone taking more than 1mg is at risk for developing those “hangover” side effects in the morning.
I then thought, how many people in college are taking melatonin and do not know the risks and proper dosage? I sent out a questionnaire to some students who are taking melatonin. I was shocked to see that these students are taking more than double the amount that I take. Fiona Geudalia, a Super Senior at Stern College, reported taking 10mg when she was having “sleep trouble.” And she is not alone. Of the 13 people who took my questionnaire, there was not one person who reported taking the recommended 1mg dose. Why is that happening?
Talia Sagian, a senior in Stern College, said that the one time she took melatonin she felt like her body was in a “comatose state,” where her body felt “paralyzed” but her mind was still awake. After that experience, she swore to never take it again. Some students reported that taking melatonin does not always help, but they continue to take it for the nights that it does help. Michael Ahdout, a junior at Yeshiva University, says that his doctor recommended taking melatonin for his “trouble sleeping.” Ahdouts takes 5-10mg about once a week and he says it “does not always help.” When I asked in the questionnaire if students thought there were any dangers to taking melatonin, the students had their own assumptions but none of them knew the side effects listed earlier. Some students even reported thinking that melatonin was a vitamin.
Melatonin is not a miracle drug. It will not help you if you are suffering with anxiety, insomnia, depression, or stress. Even though there is no link to addiction, the other side effects should be taken seriously. With exams, papers, school events, and having New York City in your back yard, it’s hard to shut your mind and body and fall asleep. If you take melatonin now, I would recommend first looking to see that you are taking the proper dosage. Make sure to take it 90 minutes before you go to sleep in order to allow your brain to recognize the melatonin you took. Then, try to notice if you have been experiencing the side effects previously mentioned. You don’t want to ruin your internal sleep schedule.
The most “natural” advice for anyone trying to fall asleep is to start unwinding at least 30 minutes before you go to sleep. Get off Facebook, turn off your computer, silence your cell phone, and relax. Try deep breathing, read, drink some hot milk, avoid caffeine or alcohol, have a routine exercise schedule, or even write for a few minutes. If you’ve just discovered that you are living with a roommate with a “melatonin hangover,” trying recommending some of these natural remedies. She will thank you in the morning.
Bibliography
Breus, Michael. “Melatonin: Not a Magic Bullet for Sleep.” The Dr. Oz Show. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/melatonin-not-magic-bullet-sleep>.
“Fact Sheet: Melatonin.” The Dr. Oz Show. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/fact-sheet-melatonin?page=2>.
“Melatonin and Sleep.” National Sleep Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/melatonin-and-sleep>.