Sleep and melatonin: how to sleep better

Good sleep is the foundation of well-being, energy and the ability to cope with stress, yet for many people, quality sleep has become a luxury. It is tempting to hope that one pill will solve everything — in reality, good sleep starts a few hours before bedtime, with the right habits and support for your body’s natural rhythm. In this article, we take an honest look at how melatonin works and how to sleep better.

Why is good sleep so important?

Sleep is more than time spent “switched off.” While you sleep, your body moves through several stages — deep sleep, rapid eye movement or REM sleep, and light sleep — and the balance between them determines how rested you feel when you wake. You can sleep for eight hours and still wake up feeling wrecked if your sleep structure is disrupted. Factors that disrupt sleep architecture include screen use before bed, alcohol (which seems to help you fall asleep but disrupts deep sleep), late coffee and an irregular sleep schedule that prevents your body from setting its internal clock. Physical activity during the day also affects sleep — if you are weighing up different training styles, take a look at HIT vs. volume training, for example, but avoid a very intense training load right before bed.

How does melatonin actually work?

There are plenty of myths surrounding melatonin. The most important point: melatonin is NOT a sleeping pill. It does not “put you to sleep” like a sedative; it signals to your body that it is time to sleep. Melatonin is known as the “hormone of darkness” — production begins at dusk and peaks during the night. That makes melatonin most useful when your problem is “I can’t fall asleep; my mind keeps racing.” If, however, your problem is “I fall asleep but wake in the middle of the night,” melatonin is less effective, and sleep hygiene and relaxation become more important.

Melatonin’s main enemy is blue light from screens. Using a phone, tablet or laptop before bed suppresses melatonin production because your brain receives the signal that “it is still daytime” and does not start preparing for sleep. Bright evening lighting, an irregular sleep schedule, shift work and age also reduce production — natural melatonin production declines after the age of 40. You can read more in Melatonin – Sleep well! Feel good.

When and how much melatonin should you take?

Melatonin follows a counterintuitive rule: more does not mean better. For most people, 0.5–1 mg is suitable. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has confirmed that 1 mg of melatonin helps reduce the time it takes to fall asleep. When crossing time zones, 2–3 mg may be an option, but 5–10 mg is too much for regular use — it can cause next-day drowsiness and interfere with your body’s own production. Start with 0.5 mg; if there is no effect after a week, increase to 1 mg. There is usually no need to go higher.

Take melatonin about 30 minutes before bed — when you are already in your bedroom and getting ready to sleep, rather than two hours earlier in front of the TV. A few important rules: take breaks from using it (melatonin is not intended for continuous use), do not combine it with alcohol, and switch off your screens — taking a melatonin tablet while exposing yourself to your phone’s blue light defeats the purpose. Understanding your daily rhythm can also help you build an evening routine; see, for example, What is the best time of day for strength training?.

How can you improve your sleep hygiene?

Melatonin cannot replace good habits. A cool, well-ventilated bedroom (the optimal temperature for sleep is 16–18 °C), your last coffee before 14 (caffeine stays in your body for 6–8 hours), an hour without screens before bed and a consistent bedtime provide a foundation for melatonin to build on. A warm (not hot) shower and the slow 4-7-8 breathing technique can help you wind down in the evening: breathe in through your nose for a count of four, hold your breath for a count of seven, and breathe out slowly through your mouth for a count of eight, repeating for four cycles. This activates your parasympathetic nervous system, or “rest and recovery” mode.

It is important to understand what melatonin cannot address. It does not help with chronic stress, an anxiety disorder, sleep apnea or depression — in these cases, you need to address the underlying cause, often with professional help. If your sleep problems persist or you feel severely exhausted, consult a doctor; a supplement offers support, not a substitute for medical care.

References

• EFSA (2011). Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to melatonin and reduction of sleep onset latency.
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Melatonin: Fact Sheet for Consumers.
• Fitness.ee digital guide “Energy and calm” (chapter 4: Melatonin) and evening sleep protocol.

Come and work out! ArtGym