Supplement · Brain health technique
Melatonin
Evidence grade: Context Dependent
A hormone produced by the pineal gland that regulates circadian rhythms and sleep–wake timing. Supplements are synthetic and available in immediate or extended-release forms.
- Practice
- Supplement
- Principle
- Nourishment
- Tactic
- Mood, Sleep & Stress Modulators
- Health domains
- hormonal
- Evidence grade
- Context Dependent
- Strength of evidence
- Medium
- Cost
- Medium
- Effort
- Low
- Time commitment
- Low
How to practice Melatonin
For sleep onset, use 0.3–1 mg 30–60 minutes before bed.. Lower doses mimic natural physiology better than high ones. Maintain darkness and reduce screen exposure for best results. Use intermittently, not indefinitely.
The evidence behind Melatonin
Melatonin helps initiate sleep and align circadian timing, especially useful for jet lag, shift work, or delayed sleep phase. Meta-analyses confirm reduced sleep latency and improved onset consistency but minimal effect on sleep depth. Tolerance does not develop, though overdosing can cause grogginess or vivid dreams.
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