1. What is melatonin

Melatonin, is a substance found in animals, plants, fungi and bacteria. In animals, melatonin is a hormone that regulates the biological clock; its action may be different in other organisms. In higher animals, melatonin is produced by pineal cells in the pineal gland.

2. How Fade to Black works

Since melatonin is involved in synchronizing circadian rhythms, including sleep-wake timing, blood pressure regulation and seasonal reproduction, it is often used to treat some of the symptoms of difficulty falling asleep. Most of its action is to activate melatonin receptors, while another part is its role as an antioxidant.

Melatonin is generally secreted most during the middle of the evening, when the retina perceives the brightness of blue light in the environment and the light-dark signal given is transmitted to the pineal gland, where melatonin begins to be produced in the dark. It then gradually decreases during the later evening hours until dawn.

Cusì, if you are still under bright light before going to bed, it is very bad for falling asleep. Because even the weak light melatonin production will be affected to some extent, in bright light the impact is even greater.

3. Daily situations in which melatonin can be used.

1. Recovering from jet lag
2. Migraine
3. Insomnia
4. Side effects of stimulant drugs such as Adderall
5. Symptoms of autism spectrum disorders and other neurodevelopmental disorders
6. Irritable bowel syndrome

It has been demonstrated through studies on the use of melatonin for a number of specific conditions (circadian rhythm sleep disorder in blind people, delayed sleep stages, insomnia, jet lag, shift work disorder, sleep disorders in children) that melatonin may reduce nocturnal confusion and irritability in people with Alzheimer's disease, but does not improve cognition.

How long does it take to start working: usually between 20 minutes and 2 hours after ingestion

How long to stay in the system: 4-8 hours

But this range depends to a large extent on external factors.

• Age
• Caffeine
• Illumination
• Body Type
• Tobacco use
• Other drugs

4. Some side effects of melatonin.

Melatonin is a dietary supplement that commonly includes: headache, nausea, drowsiness and dizziness.

Less common include: transient depression, mild anxiety, irritability, confusion, mild tremors, sleep deprivation, confusion, abnormally low blood pressure joint pain, abdominal pain, and seizures.

In più, melatonin supplements interact with many drugs, including.

-Anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs

-Anticonvulsants

-Contraceptive pills

-Diabetes medication

-Drugs that suppress the immune system (immunosuppressants)

Generally, people choose to take melatonin because of the ability to solve the problem of insomnia, but to be clear, melatonin can only play a role in relieving insomnia, cannot cure insomnia.

The main time for melatonin synthesis is between 2am and 3am, so it is possible to take melatonin for a short period of time (under medical supervision in any case) for people who fly around the world, need to work with jet lag or work shifts at night, and for people who are exposed to artificial light at night.

How to relieve insomnia in daily life.

-Listen to soothing soft music before bedtime to relax your brain, and don't do something exciting, such as strenuous exercise or playing some intense games

-Appropriate exercise during the day, the body has some tiredness will be conducive to sleep

-Avoid day and night reversal, try to turn off artificial light sources at night sleep, because in the light of the light source, melatonin formation will be inhibited

-Eating more high-quality protein containing various essential amino acids, as well as foods rich in vitamins B, E, C, calcium and tryptophan, and not drinking strong tea and coffee

-Turn off the cell phone screen, the blue light from the electronic screen will inhibit the normal secretion of melatonin in the body

If you are considering taking melatonin supplements, please consult your doctor first based on your health condition. A medical professional will help you determine if melatonin is right for you.

References:
www.mayoclinic.org
http://mpa.gd.gov.cn
www.nccih.nih.gov
www.mayoclinic.org

This article is for informational purposes only and should not replace the professional advice of your physician and medical advisor.