Is melatonin MEANT to make you fall asleep?

Question

Is melatonin MEANT to make you fall asleep?

Answer 1

Melatonin is a hormone that is already produced naturally by your body.  Since it is involved in regulating sleep, some people believe that taking melatonin supplements can be helpful for treatment of certain types of insomnia.

That being said, there is a lack of definitive evidence that melatonin supplements actually make you sleepy.  It may work for some people and not for others.

Answer 2

Based on the scientific information melatonin is associated with sleep or the onset there of. Sleep clinics - physicians working on patients with sleep disorders use synthetic versions of melatonin to address specific situations.

The following is an excerpt from the Mayo Clinic:

Melatonin is a hormone produced in the brain by the pineal gland from the amino acid tryptophan. The synthesis and release of melatonin are stimulated by darkness and suppressed by light, suggesting the involvement of melatonin in circadian rhythm and regulation of diverse body functions. Levels of melatonin in the blood are highest prior to bedtime.

Synthetic melatonin supplements have been used for a variety of medical conditions, most notably for disorders related to sleep.

Melatonin possesses antioxidant activity, and many of its proposed therapeutic or preventive uses are based on this property.

New drugs that block the effects of melatonin are in development, such as BMS-214778 or luzindole, and may have uses in various disorders.

Answer 3

Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by the body that is associated with sleep. It lowers body temperature and induces drowsiness.

It is the body's natural way to make you sleep, and it is used as a dietary supplement to aid it better sleep in 3mg tablets. Higher doses can also be used to treat insomnia.  People with insomnia, like myself, can be unresponsive to melatonin as a result of parts of the brain not functioning correctly.

In normal humans, it should make you tired.