Lack of sleep can become unbearable. That is why many people resort to all kinds of medicines or drugs to try to sleep. In some cases, these are individuals with a insomnia serious. In others, they are simply people with difficulties to reduce the stress of everyday life and soon fall into the arms of Morpheus. But both some and others consider at some point resorting to the melatonin supplements.
Melatonin is known as the sleep hormone, because in our body it is secreted in the Pineal gland precisely to mark the passage of the Cardiac rhtyms. We are designed for sleep at night and be awake during the day. Therefore, when we are exposed to light, especially blue, the secretion of this is inhibited. sleep-inducing hormonewhile in darkness or with more yellowish lights it is released again.
Knowing this, it is logical to think that it can lend a hand to our brain to help us sleep if we have insomnia or sleep problems. And the truth is that it does work. However, that doesn’t mean we can afford a free melatonin bar. The hormone secreted by our pineal gland is not the same as the one we take in the form of a dietary supplement. It is necessary to take into account some considerations; but precisely because supplements are sold freelysuch considerations are usually left aside.
Does melatonin work for better sleep?
There are some studies that analyze the efficacy of melatonin against insomnia and other sleep disorders.
They all come to the conclusion that exogenous melatonin, such as that taken through supplements, may be beneficial. They even have to compare it with drugs What benzodiazepines, antidepressants, antihistamines, and anti-anxiety drugs and they conclude that it is just as effective, but with much fewer side effects than all those drugs.
But just because it has fewer side effects doesn’t mean it can be taken at any price. In fact, as explained to hypertextual the coordinator of the Sleep Study Group of the Spanish Society of Neurology, Ana Fernandez Arcos, this evidence is still scarce and should not be generalized. “First sleep habits should be improved”, says the specialist. “If, despite this, the problem does not improve, it is necessary to consult with your doctor to be able to assess it, since sleeping problems can have a very diverse origin”.
This is very important. Not just for determining the cause of insomnia. Also because the effects of melatonin in all types of patients are not known. “Its use should be considered with even more caution in people who have daytime sleepiness and there are no studies in people with autoimmune diseases”.
Depends a lot on age
Another important factor in determining whether or not someone should take melatonin is age. As we get older our pineal gland secretes less melatonin naturally. Therefore, from a certain age we begin to sleep less. But one thing is to sleep fewer hours and another is insomnia problems that can also appear in older people. For this reason, melatonin is somewhat more recommended and approved as a medicine in over 55 years. Although it would also be advisable to assess each case.
And also determine the best dose. In a study published in 2014 different doses of melatonin were analyzed in people over 55 years of age. The objective was to check which one generated the most appropriate effects. Thus, they saw that the lowest of the doses studied, of 0.1mg/kgwas the one that best mimics physiological circadian rhythms and, therefore, facilitates better sleep conditions.
Two types of melatonin
There are two types of melatonin, depending on their release method. The immediate is used in people who have Sleeping problems; but that, once they manage to sleep, they can continue to do so the rest of the night.
However, that of delayed release is addressed to those who have what is known as sustained insomnia. In their case, they usually have many awakenings throughout the night, so they need melatonin to be released little by little.
Delayed melatonin is also found in food supplements. However, as a drug it is only approved for people older than 55 years.
In any case, no matter how old the patient is and what type of melatonin they take, this should not become a perpetual habit. The consumption of this hormone, even as a food supplement, should be as short as possible. Its prolonged use is not recommended, but a maximum of weeks of duration, with supervision and other measures”, explains Fernández Arcos. “To improve long-term insomnia, the first-line treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy”.
This is the psychological current that enjoys the most scientific evidence and is used to treat all kinds of conditions, from anxiety to depression, as well as insomnia.
What do I do if I have sleep problems?
If we have trouble sleeping, we must consider several factors. First of all, we must take into account our age. Yes, we are over 55 years it may simply be due to this decline in melatonin secretion, although it is not certain. In younger people there can be many other reasons.
In both cases we should go to a doctor. There we can tell you about our intention to try melatonin. He will know if it is advisable or not for our situation and taking into account our history.
If you finally find it acceptable, we can start taking it. If it only costs us To fall asleep it will be worth with the immediate one. But if we tend to wake up a lot, we may need the delayed one.
But with either of the two we should not spend more than some weeks taking it After this time, if it has not worked, we should return to our doctor. He will assess if we need to do tests to find the origin of that insomnia. If not, we could start with a psychologist who practices cognitive behavioral therapy. In fact, this can also be the first option, it is not necessary to go through melatonin first. It is even highly advisable to do it during the consumption of the hormone.
It all depends on our situation and, yes, in part also on our preferences. But without forgetting that, as much as there is melatonin in jelly beans formatThey are not sweets. And we should not take it as such.