Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by the brain. This is helpful in regulating the internal clock of the body. At night, the levels of melatonin increase and will decrease at daytime. Several individuals have observed that intake of melatonin supplements can help them in sleeping better particularly if they experienced jet lag. Since different individuals respond to various dosages, it will take a lot of time in finding the right dosage that is beneficial for you.
Most people take dosages between .3 mg and 5 mg every night even if studies have utilized dosages between .1 an 75mg each night. In order to reduce the risk of side effects during the day, low dose should be taken approximately thirty minutes before going to sleep. Then the dosage is increased every three days until such time the right dose can be found. Majority of people have good responses to doses between 1mg and 3mg. Melatonin supplements in quick-release forms are quite effective in individuals suffering from insomnia.
As indicated by the University Of Maryland Medical Center, doses between .5mg and 5mg are frequently taken one hour before going to bed at a person’s destination for about four days after his arrival. This is to help travelers recover from jet lag.
According to the University Of Maryland Medical Center, the recommended dose should be kept at around .3mg every night even if kids usually consume doses up to 5mg of melatonin to aid them with their problems in sleeping. This is because doses greater than 1mg can sometimes result to seizures in children below 15 years old. In order to determine the recommended dose if there is any, it is best to talk with the pediatrician before administering melatonin to the child.
If larger doses of melatonin are taken, these can lead to drowsiness during the day. Other side effects are dizziness, headaches, nausea, nightmares, depression, nightmares and sleepwalking. Melatonin should not be taken by people who have autoimmune disorders or women who are pregnant. Also, melatonin can have interactions with other medications. Included are medicines like NSAIDS, steroids, benzodiazepines, blood-thinners, tamoxifen, beta-blockers as well as medications for high blood pressure and depression.
