Melatonin scientific research:

Insomnia is defined as persistent difficulty with sleep initiation, sleep consolidation, and staying asleep, resulting in poor sleep quality. Individuals suffering from chronic insomnia show an increased predisposition for psychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. People who show a susceptibility to sleep disturbances have an overactive sympathetic nervous system, hyperarousal, and have more intense responses to stressful events. Melatonin levels decrease with age, thus, older adults are more prone to suffer from inadequate melatonin levels. As one ages, the ability to sleep decreases, and consequently, the incidences of sleep disorders gradually increase.

Melatonin has been shown to synchronize the circadian rhythms, and improve the onset, duration, and quality of sleep. It is centrally involved in anti-oxidation, circadian rhythmicity maintenance, sleep regulation and neuronal survival.

Melatonin supplementation significantly increased total sleep time, improved sleep efficiency, and decreased sleep onset latency to Stage 2. Exogenous melatonin can effectively treat insomnia by mimicking the natural endogenous melatonin, binding to the same receptors, and activating the same downstream pathways.

Melatonin is an endogenous hormone that is synthesized and secreted into the systemic circulation and cerebrospinal fluid by the pineal gland. It plays a crucial role in regulating the circadian rhythm and sleeping during the night and may have sleep-inducing activity in humans. It has also immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties and its safety has been confirmed previously.

In contrast to most available sleep medications, melatonin has little dependence potential, is not associated with habituation and typically produces no hangover.