Melatonin Is Everywhere, But Should You Be Taking It?
Melatonin seems to be everywhere. It’s sold over the counter, mixed into teas, added to skincare, and taken regularly by both adults and kids.
It’s often seen as a gentle, natural fix for sleep, but in reality it is very different from a traditional supplement such as a vitamin or a mineral. It is a powerful hormone that plays a central role in your body’s internal rhythms and overall health. When misused or overused, it can do more harm than good.
In this post I’ll share what melatonin really does, the hidden risks of casual over-the-counter use, and how to support your body’s natural production instead.
What Melatonin Is And What It Does
Melatonin is often called the “sleep hormone,” but that label sells it short.
It is produced by a pea-sized structure deep in the brain called pineal gland and serves as the primary messenger of your body’s 24-hour internal clock knows as the circadian rhythm.
As daylight fades, your brain’s master clock (called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or SCN) signals the pineal gland to release melatonin. This rise in melatonin helps cool your core body temperature, reduce alertness, and prepare your body for rest.
Melatonin peaks in the middle of the night and gradually tapers off with morning light, helping reset your biological clock for the day ahead. It doesn’t “knock you out” like a sleeping pill.
Think of it more as a biological dimmer switch which sets the stage for your natural sleep process to unfold.
In addition to guiding sleep-wake rhythms, melatonin also:
A powerful antioxidant that is even stronger than vitamin E at fighting off harmful molecules that can damage your cells and speed up aging
Supports your immune system, helping to keep inflammation in check and your body’s defenses balanced
Helps with heart and metabolic health, playing a role in keeping your blood pressure steady and making your body more sensitive to insulin.
Tied to reproductive health, with emerging research on its role in egg quality and hormone balance
Melatonin levels shift naturally across the lifespan. Perimenopausal and menopausal women experience a natural drop in its production, which often contributes to sleep disruption.
The Four Primary Problems With Over-the-Counter Melatonin Use
1. It’s Poorly Regulated and Often Mislabeled
In the U.S., melatonin is sold as a dietary supplement which means it’s not subject to the same FDA oversight for safety, dosage, or purity.
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine tested dozens of melatonin products and found that:
71% contained a different amount than what was listed on the label
Actual melatonin content ranged from –83% to +478% of the stated amount
26% contained serotonin—a separate neurochemical that should not be there
Chewable forms (often marketed to children) were among the worst offenders.
Unfortunately, pediatric melatonin overdoses have spiked in recent years. CDC data shows that poison control center calls related to melatonin exposure in children rose by 530% between 2012 and 2021. In response, several professional organizations issued advisories urging parents to use caution and to consult their child’s healthcare provider before giving melatonin.
2. It’s Often Taken When Not Needed
Melatonin has become a default sleep aid for nearly everything. About 20% of U.S. adults and 46% of parents report using it or giving it to their kids. But most of the time, it’s used in situations where it may not be effective or necessary.
Melatonin is best suited for specific circadian rhythm issues, such as:
Jet lag
Shift work disorder
Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder
Certain neurological conditions like autism (under medical supervision)
But because it’s easy to buy and marketed as “natural,” many people take it regularly without understanding what it does (many don’t even know it’s a hormone!).
For common sleep issues like stress-related insomnia or difficulty unwinding at night, melatonin is often not the right tool. In many cases, behavioral, lifestyle, or environmental approaches are safer and more effective.
3. It’s Taken in the Wrong Amounts
Most melatonin sold in stores comes in 5mg or 10mg doses. That’s far higher what is typically needed or what your body naturally produces.
As a reference, in clinical practice, if I am using melatonin for circadian rhythm disorders, I usually start with 0.5 to 1 mg, and in rare cases go up to 3 mg.
Yet I’ve seen patients taking 10, 20, even 40 mg of melatonin nightly. These are supraphysiologic doses, meaning they far exceed what your body would ever naturally produce or require
Too much melatonin can cause:
Grogginess
Vivid dreams
Headaches
Hormonal disruption
Paradoxical worsening of sleep, especially if it shifts your circadian rhythm in the wrong direction
4. Too Often It’s Taken at the Wrong Time
The timing of melatonin intake matters.
If you take it too late at night or too early in the evening you might end up making things worse.
It’s not uncommon for people to take melatonin an hour before bed and wonder why it’s not working. For example, for some circadian rhythm issues like delayed sleep wake phase, melatonin may need to be taken 5 hours before someone naturally falls asleep to be effective.
Poor timing can:
Delay your natural melatonin production
Shift your biological clock in the wrong direction
Lead to inconsistent sleep patterns
The optimal timing varies by individual and should be guided by your healthcare provider.
How to Support Natural Melatonin Production
The most effective and sustainable way to benefit from melatonin is to support your body’s own production. Nature has perfected this process over millennia and the best thing women can do is minimize or eliminate disruptions to the natural process.
Key Ways to Support Melatonin Naturally:
Get natural light in the morning. Daylight is the strongest cue for your internal clock. Try to get outside within the first 1 ot 2 hours after waking (note: morning light may need to be timed differently for those with a “night owl” chronotype).
Reduce evening light exposure. Bright unnatural lights, especially blue light from screens or white LED bulbs, suppress melatonin by 50 to 70%. Use warm, amber lighting after sunset and avoid screens in the 1 to 2 hours before bed.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine, both of which can interfere with melatonin and fragment your sleep architecture. Caffeine can delay melatonin onset, while alcohol may reduce melatonin production and disrupt REM sleep.
Keep a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends. Irregular sleep-wake times confuse your brain’s clock and weaken melatonin signals.
Time meals strategically. Eat during daylight hours and avoid late-night heavy meals, which can disrupt circadian alignment.
Stay active. Physical movement and time outdoors during the day help reinforce natural circadian rhythms
Key Takeaways:
1. Melatonin is more than a sleep aid. It’s a hormone that plays key roles in immune function, metabolism, and reproductive health.
2. In the U.S., melatonin supplements aren’t tightly regulated. Studies show that many products contain inaccurate doses and sometimes unexpected ingredients like serotonin.
3. Most people take too much melatonin or use it incorrectly without realizing it. Instead, try to boost your melatonin naturally.
4. If you’re struggling with sleep or considering melatonin whether for yourself or your child, talk to your healthcare provider first.