Daylight saving may seem like a small one-hour shift, but it can still disrupt your internal clock. Fatigue, waking too early or difficulty falling asleep can happen during this period.
Melatonin is a tool that can help during this biannual shift. Adrien Gagnon offers nearly 20 different products with melatonin. With so many forms and doses available, knowing how to take melatonin can make or break your sleep.
What Is Melatonin and How Does It Work?
Melatonin is a hormone that everyone produces naturally in their body as a signal for it to go to sleep. It is produced by the pineal gland, a hormone-releasing part of the brain. Light exposure delays its release. To note that light includes both natural and artificial light. When supplementing, users seek to regulate their sleep-wake cycle due to jet lag, night shifts, or time change, to give a few examples.
How to Choose the Right Dosage
It is highly recommended to start low (less than or 1 mg) and gradually increase, as needed only. Higher doses are not necessarily more effective and can sometimes lead to opposite effects such as restlessness or grogginess the day after. Do not assume your optimal dose follows how “bad” your sleep is. Dosage depends on sensitivity, age, and purpose (falling asleep vs staying asleep). Don’t forget, after all, melatonin is a hormone produced by your body; at different points in life or in different circumstances, your optimal dosage may vary slightly.
Choosing the Right Form for Your Needs
To Fall Asleep Faster
· Capsules: the most classic and predictable option. To be swallowed with a bit of water 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.
· Gummies: a fun tasty format for those who dislike swallowing a pill. To be taken 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.
· Liquids or Sublingual Tablets: rapid absorption and faster onset due to their form. The sublingual tablets are to be put under the tongue. They will melt quickly for a quick absorption leading to quick transition into sleep. Due to its form and rapid effects, it is to be taken right before bedtime.
To Stay Asleep Longer
· Delayed or Prolonged-Release Tablets: delay the release of melatonin slowly over several hours to help prevent middle-of-the-night awakenings. To be taken right before going to sleep.
For Both Falling and Staying Asleep
· Double-Layer Tablets: have 1) a fast-acting layer to help you fall asleep; with 2) a delayed-release layer to help prevent middle-of-the-night awakenings. To be taken right before going to sleep.
How to Take Melatonin
Melatonin is only one tool to improve your sleep. A reminder that melatonin is a hormone intimately affected by how much light the body is exposed to. Bright lights and screens in our modern society are the most common culprits to delaying our natural melatonin release.
Although melatonin does not cause dependence nor tolerance, naturopathy encourages all of us to seek the root cause of any issue and use the most natural ways to realign the body to an optimal health. In terms of sleep, that can look like dimming lights, a consistent bed and waketime and a relaxing sleep routine that can include medicinal plants in aroma, a herbal tea or even supplemental form combined with your melatonin.
Our Natural Sleep Solutions – Summarized
In short, here is a point-form list to help you chose your best melatonin support:
· Different strengths: less than 1 mg to max dose of 10 mg
· Multiple technologies: quick, delayed, prolonged and double action
· Varied formats: capsules, gummies, liquid and sublingual tablets
· Supporting combinations: formulas that include herbal plants
Time or circumstantial changes can throw you off your rhythm, but it doesn’t have to with some preparation. A bit of melatonin and realigning good habits can lead you back to a great night’s rest. Because the best time change is one your body barely notices.