How Long Before Sleep Should Melatonin Be Taken
Now that is a crucial decision. We all know that melatonin works, but how does it work best?
If you have ever used melatonin supplements as a sleeping aid, you likely have experienced its effectiveness. What is less known is that melatonin is a natural hormone that is produced by our own body and that is crucial to our existing sleep patterns.
Melatonin supplements work by complementing the melatonin that your body naturally produces. This is possible due to sensory signals sent to the pineal gland in the brain. The naturally released melatonin, strengthened with the supplemented amounts, act on the body to help it fall into sleep.
In short words, that works best if you are preparing yourself for going to bed or if you are already in go-to-bed mode, maybe 30 – 60 minutes before you want to be asleep.
Here is why.
How Long Does Melatonin Stay in The Body?
Image Credits: Pixabay
Let’s take a look at the natural production of melatonin in the body. The brain produces melatonin and releases it into the body all-day round. The half-life of melatonin is 40 to 60 minutes, which means after 7 hours, at most 0.8% would remain after having been processed by the body. But melatonin will always get replaced as a result of the natural production of it by our brain.
The natural process of melatonin production increases in volume during evenings and especially when it is dark, putting the body into a peaceful state and allowing us to naturally get into sleep as night falls: you have put your pajama on, you are in a comfortable bed, the room temperature is nice, and the lights are out.
No, you don’t need to Plan When To Take Melatonin
Image Credits: Pixabay
There is one major difference between taking melatonin – which is a natural substance - and an artificial sleeping medication: there will always be a natural balance of melatonin within the body.
In other words, there is no need to “plan” for precise times to take melatonin as if you are taking medication. Just make sure that you are already where you want to fall asleep when you supply extra-melatonin to your body.
How Long Before Sleep To Take Melatonin
Image Credits: Canva
One common misconception among melatonin users is that melatonin supplements act like sleeping pills and they expect to fall asleep after a certain time of taking the “pill”. Such a way of using melatonin supplements is nonsense. Don’t stress yourself that way!
A good mindset to have is to “work with, not against, melatonin’s sleep-inducing signals”, as advised by Luis F. Buenaver, who is a sleep expert at Johns Hopkins Hospital. You can find that study here:
There is also a Harvard Medical School study that shows that “sleep efficiency” is the highest when melatonin supplements complement the body’s natural production of melatonin. That study is found here.
There is an optimal time for taking melatonin
Image Credits: Canva
As we analyse the natural cycle of melatonin within the body, there is an optimal time for taking extra-melatonin which is different from user to user. A whole range of times are presented by different researchers.
Buenaver recommends to take “1 to 3 milligrams two hours before bedtime”. He recommends the same against jet lag – to take melatonin “two hours before your bedtime at your destination, starting a few days before your trip.” Have you noticed his recommendation to get your body used by a timely exercise before you even need the extra amount of melatonin outside of your existing sleep rhythm?
Other sources have pointed to the fact that melatonin levels will be at their peak about an hour before sleep, and hence recommend intake of melatonin supplements between 30 minutes and an hour before bedtime. Check out these links if you want to know more:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5405617/
https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-to-take-melatonin-3015192
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-does-melatonin-last#how-to-use
Conclusion: Become Aware Of And Monitor Your Own Sleep Patterns
Image Credits: Canva
There has been ample research and medical expertise about the “best” times to take melatonin supplements. But it is still up to your body to respond to and work with the additional melatonin introduced to help it go into sleep.
That is why it is important that you become aware of your own sleep patterns. Only very few people do that. If you want to sleep better then learn to listen to your body.
Next, this is especially so if you are a first-time user of melatonin supplements! We recommend starting with 45 minutes before sleep, and then making the necessary adjustments from there.
And don’t forget that you should already be in go-to-bed mode when you take your melatonin: lights are off, room temperature is nice, your mattress and your pillow are comfortable.
If you face any sleep issues, or simply want to improve the quality of your sleep, click here to place an order today! Free shipping is now available for orders within Singapore for a limited time only.
Now that is a crucial decision. We all know that melatonin works, but how does it work best?
If you have ever used melatonin supplements as a sleeping aid, you likely have experienced its effectiveness. What is less known is that melatonin is a natural hormone that is produced by our own body and that is crucial to our existing sleep patterns.
Melatonin supplements work by complementing the melatonin that your body naturally produces. This is possible due to sensory signals sent to the pineal gland in the brain. The naturally released melatonin, strengthened with the supplemented amounts, act on the body to help it fall into sleep.
In short words, that works best if you are preparing yourself for going to bed or if you are already in go-to-bed mode, maybe 30 – 60 minutes before you want to be asleep.
Here is why.
How Long Does Melatonin Stay in The Body?
Image Credits: Pixabay
Let’s take a look at the natural production of melatonin in the body. The brain produces melatonin and releases it into the body all-day round. The half-life of melatonin is 40 to 60 minutes, which means after 7 hours, at most 0.8% would remain after having been processed by the body. But melatonin will always get replaced as a result of the natural production of it by our brain.
The natural process of melatonin production increases in volume during evenings and especially when it is dark, putting the body into a peaceful state and allowing us to naturally get into sleep as night falls: you have put your pajama on, you are in a comfortable bed, the room temperature is nice, and the lights are out.
No, you don’t need to Plan When To Take Melatonin
Image Credits: Pixabay
There is one major difference between taking melatonin – which is a natural substance - and an artificial sleeping medication: there will always be a natural balance of melatonin within the body.
In other words, there is no need to “plan” for precise times to take melatonin as if you are taking medication. Just make sure that you are already where you want to fall asleep when you supply extra-melatonin to your body.
How Long Before Sleep To Take Melatonin
Image Credits: Canva
One common misconception among melatonin users is that melatonin supplements act like sleeping pills and they expect to fall asleep after a certain time of taking the “pill”. Such a way of using melatonin supplements is nonsense. Don’t stress yourself that way!
A good mindset to have is to “work with, not against, melatonin’s sleep-inducing signals”, as advised by Luis F. Buenaver, who is a sleep expert at Johns Hopkins Hospital. You can find that study here:
There is also a Harvard Medical School study that shows that “sleep efficiency” is the highest when melatonin supplements complement the body’s natural production of melatonin. That study is found here.
There is an optimal time for taking melatonin
Image Credits: Canva
As we analyse the natural cycle of melatonin within the body, there is an optimal time for taking extra-melatonin which is different from user to user. A whole range of times are presented by different researchers.
Buenaver recommends to take “1 to 3 milligrams two hours before bedtime”. He recommends the same against jet lag – to take melatonin “two hours before your bedtime at your destination, starting a few days before your trip.” Have you noticed his recommendation to get your body used by a timely exercise before you even need the extra amount of melatonin outside of your existing sleep rhythm?
Other sources have pointed to the fact that melatonin levels will be at their peak about an hour before sleep, and hence recommend intake of melatonin supplements between 30 minutes and an hour before bedtime. Check out these links if you want to know more:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5405617/
https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-to-take-melatonin-3015192
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-does-melatonin-last#how-to-use
Conclusion: Become Aware Of And Monitor Your Own Sleep Patterns
Image Credits: Canva
There has been ample research and medical expertise about the “best” times to take melatonin supplements. But it is still up to your body to respond to and work with the additional melatonin introduced to help it go into sleep.
That is why it is important that you become aware of your own sleep patterns. Only very few people do that. If you want to sleep better then learn to listen to your body.
Next, this is especially so if you are a first-time user of melatonin supplements! We recommend starting with 45 minutes before sleep, and then making the necessary adjustments from there.
And don’t forget that you should already be in go-to-bed mode when you take your melatonin: lights are off, room temperature is nice, your mattress and your pillow are comfortable.
If you face any sleep issues, or simply want to improve the quality of your sleep, click here to place an order today! Free shipping is now available for orders within Singapore for a limited time only.