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When you’re constantly waking up in the middle of the night and wasting the last of your precious sleeping hours wide awake, reaching for a bottle of melatonin may seem like a great idea. It’s readily available, and it’s supposed to help you sleep . . . right? Sleep deprivation can make this logic seem sound, but experts say taking melatonin in the middle of the night can actually make your sleep schedule even worse. How? We’ll let the pros explain.
Experts Featured in This Article
Michael Breus, PhD, is a sleep specialist and clinical psychologist.
Max Kerr, DDS, is a board-certified dental sleep medicine specialist based in Austin, Texas.
When to Take Melatonin — and When to Hold Off
Sleep specialist Michael Breus, PhD, explains that, while taking melatonin is generally safe and may help you fall back asleep, popping the supplement after you’ve already gone to bed can cause you to feel groggy in the morning, which sort of defeats the purpose of taking it in the first place. “Melatonin is not a sleeping pill. It’s a sleep regulator,” Dr. Breus tells PS. “It changes the time your body wants to sleep.”
He also cautions that taking an incorrect dose of melatonin can have adverse effects. “At too high of a dose, [melatonin] causes nightmares,” Dr. Breus says. He typically recommends 1.5 milligrams for adults and warns that many melatonin supplements contain much more than that.
Max Kerr, DDS, agrees that if your sleep schedule is relatively normal, taking between 0.3 and 2 milligrams of melatonin an hour before bedtime should help you drift off to sleep. If you need a hard reset of your circadian clock — because you’re working shifts or suffering from jet lag, for example — Dr. Kerr says that taking 5 milligrams of melatonin can help you fall asleep faster and improve the quality of your sleep. (FWIW, Cleveland Clinic recommends starting with one milligram and increasing the dose by one milligram per week as needed, never exceeding 10 milligrams in one dose.)
Taking the proper dose of melatonin can help reduce any negative side effects, including headaches, dizziness, and nausea. But if you find yourself reaching for a supplement often, it’s important that you talk to your doctor. Experts advise against taking melatonin for long periods of time, so if you need it nightly or reach for it frequently for over three months, it’s best to get professional help — and see if something is behind your sleep issues. For instance, if you wake up every morning feeling like you could fall right back asleep or you can’t function without your morning coffee, you may be experiencing chronic sleep deprivation, caused by a condition like sleep apnea, Dr. Kerr says.
Other lifestyle changes you could try at home to promote better sleep include creating a relaxing bedtime routine, getting regular exercise, and reducing your caffeine intake. However, if you’ve tried changing your habits and still find yourself turning to melatonin on a consistent basis, consulting your doctor or a sleep specialist is likely the best path to a truly restful night of sleep.
Chandler Plante (she/her) is an assistant health and fitness editor for PS. She has over four years of professional journalism experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributing to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group.
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