Have late nights left you feeling exhausted during your normal daily routine? Insomnia is a growing problem among adults with an estimated 30 to 35 percent struggling with brief symptoms. A smaller portion of the population struggles with chronic insomnia, but it is still a prevalent issue that could be solved with some natural remedies. Most people immediately start taking melatonin to try and cure their sleeping frustration, but does it really help?
Find out more about this common over-the-counter supplement in this quick crash course on how you can combat insomnia naturally.
What is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone that our bodies are supposed to produce naturally. When the sun begins to set and the light around us decreases, melatonin is often produced and released into the bloodstream. Sometimes, the body doesn’t release as much melatonin as it should because we are surrounded by the light from our screens. Other times, the decrease in melatonin could be caused by a disorder or irregular sleeping patterns.
Does Melatonin Help You Fall Asleep?
There is a growing body of research that proves that melatonin supplements do actually help to reset your body’s sleeping habits. You can experience an increase in the melatonin in your bloodstream, prompting you to feel drowsy earlier than usual. If you can succumb to the onset of the fatigue, melatonin will help you to fall asleep faster and avoid hours of insomnia.
How Do You Take Melatonin?
The trick to using this hormone efficiently is to know when to take it and how much. Browsing through the pharmacy aisle at your local supplement shop will present you with multiple options. You can find dosages ranging from under one milligram to twenty milligrams. Most people would assume that the higher dosages offer a more powerful solution for particularly pervasive insomnia. Unfortunately, this logic doesn’t actually hold when it comes to melatonin.
One study from MIT found that that appropriate dosage should range from 0.3 to 1.0 milligrams each evening. Higher doses were found to be less effective and to increase the potential side effects. When you take a dosage that is too high, you might have very vivid dreams, grogginess, nausea, and headaches.
Some people choose to take their melatonin shortly before bedtime. Roughly thirty minutes to one hour should be enough time for it to hit your brain and make you feel the first tinge of sleepiness. However, you may need to take it much earlier if you are battling chronic insomnia. By taking your melatonin two to three hours before bed, you might be able to completely change your sleeping schedule and cure your insomnia altogether. This can leave you feeling more rested in the morning and ready to go about your day.
When you’re ready to start sleeping better, be sure to contact Imagine Wellness Centre to find the natural solutions to your insomnia. We offer the best healthcare and wellness centre around to help you find and preserve true health.
