If you have trouble sleeping, it is likely you have heard of Melatonin. A lot of people take Melatonin as a sleep aid. It is produced naturally by the body in the pineal gland. As with a lot of hormones there is still a lot to learn about melatonin. Right now, we know it plays a big role in maintaining the body's circadian rhythms.
Your Circadian Rhythm is your internal clock. It optimizes the best times of day for different functions. It ramps up energy when you wake up in the morning, prepares your body to eat and digest food, makes you sleepy in the afternoon. It is the system that makes you wake up early on a day you don't have to set your alarm clock.
When the sun starts to set, and it gets dark outside, this signals the pineal gland to make melatonin. The melatonin builds up and makes you sleepy, eventually helping you shift into sleep. In the winter when the nights are longer, the higher levels of melatonin remain in your body, helping you to sleep longer.
Although, not as well researched, melatonin also helps to regulate women's menstrual cycles. Many of the body's cyclic patterns rely on melatonin for regulation.
Since out pituitary gland uses light to know when to produce melatonin, it is a big struggle in the modern world with screens to regulate properly. Most screens have blue light, which is a similar light to the midday sun. Your brain thinks it is time to be up and productive, even though the sun has gone down. In addition, there are theories that your brain should get natural light throughout the whole day to maintain normal cycles.
When melatonin levels stay too low, this can lead to severe sleep disorders, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's disease and some cancers. On the other hand, when levels stay too high, this can lead to daytime sleepiness, eating disorders and muscle wasting.
For shift workers or people who are stuck inside for most of the day, melatonin supplements may help, but it should always be used after consulting your doctor. There are also indications that supplemental melatonin is not a useful as your own natural melatonin.
Things to help with your own regulation include:
watching sunrises and sunsets
avoiding screens or wearing blue blocking glasses after the sun sets or at least 2 hours before bed
maintain your own cycle by going to bed and waking up at a similar time each day
If you want to talk about melatonin, sleep and body rhythms, please e-mail me to set up a time to talk.
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