How Does Melatonin Work And What Is It?

Sleep problems like insomnia are pretty common but most people don’t want to take any medications that could cause symptoms or even make their sleep worse. In this situation one of the most common things that people try to sleep better is melatonin. However some are hesitant because they don’t know what it is or how it works. Luckily, healthline has information on both what melatonin actually is and how it helps you sleep.

Melatonin is actually a hormone that your body produces naturally. It’s usually called the sleep hormone because high levels of it can help you to fall asleep. Melatonin itself doesn't actually make you sleep though, it just lets your body know that it’s nighttime and time to fall asleep.

Melatonin is such a popular supplement because it can help with insomnia and jet lag. It can also be bought in most countries without any prescription.

Melatonin works with the body's circadian rhythm to help you fall asleep. The circadian rhythm is the body’s internal clock that releases different hormones to alert your mind to know when it's time to wake up, eat, and sleep.

Melatonin levels start to increase when it gets dark outside to signal that it's time to sleep. They then decrease when the sun starts to come up. This means when you take melatonin it tells your body that it’s time to relax and fall asleep.