Sleep Supplements: Melatonin and Beyond
Melatonin: Uses and Misuses
Melatonin is the most widely used sleep supplement and also one of the most commonly misunderstood. It is a timing signal, not a sedative. It tells the brain when to sleep, not how to sleep deeply. This distinction has practical implications: melatonin is highly effective for circadian timing problems (jet lag, shift work, delayed sleep phase) and modestly effective for sleep onset in normal sleepers. It does not reliably improve sleep quality or duration once sleep is initiated.
Melatonin Dosing
Most OTC melatonin is wildly overdosed relative to what research shows to be effective. Studies on jet lag and sleep onset use 0.5-1mg, taken 30-60 minutes before the desired sleep time. Doses of 5-10mg (common in US products) produce blood melatonin levels far exceeding physiological norms and may blunt the body's own production over time. Start with 0.5mg and assess before increasing.
Other Supplements with Evidence
- Magnesium glycinate or threonate: involved in GABA regulation; consistent evidence for modest sleep quality improvement, particularly in deficiency. Safe at RDA levels.
- L-theanine: amino acid found in tea; produces calming without sedation; some evidence for reduced sleep onset time and improved subjective sleep quality
- Glycine: may lower core body temperature and improve subjective sleep quality; limited but promising research
What to Avoid
Antihistamine-based sleep aids (diphenhydramine, common in OTC sleep products) produce rapid tolerance and have been linked to cognitive impairment with regular use. They are not an appropriate long-term sleep solution.
Melatonin and Beyond in Practice
Use melatonin (low dose) for jet lag and circadian adjustment. For general sleep quality, magnesium and L-theanine have the best evidence-to-risk profiles. Address the lifestyle foundations first; supplements address the margins, not the foundations.
