Melatonin is a hormone that helps the body regulate sleep-wake cycles. Melatonin is secreted in the pineal gland, and the production of the hormone decreases with age. Melatonin supplements are able to assist people in getting the deep and restful sleep they need, as well as relieve difficulties with jet lag. Melatonin has no side effects that commonly occur when prescription sleeping pills are used. Melatonin can also play a significant role in the regulation of female reproductive hormones. The release of melatonin at puberty brings the onset of menstruation, and the eventual decrease of the hormone represents menopause, the end of the menstruation period of a woman’s life.

Diminished melatonin levels result in difficulty sleeping, and this problem can grow with age. Insomnia treatment is one of the most sought after medical problems today. Melatonin helps people who have irregular or disrupted sleep cycles, such as those who work during the night or suffer from jet lag, as well as older people and those afflicted with schizophrenia, as their melatonin production is generally low.

Insomnia can affect people at any age, although many people become more susceptible to it as they grow older. Various illnesses and viral bacterial infections are a greater risk when the body is not getting all the sleep it needs to stay healthy. Insomnia can be caused by many factors, either physical, emotional or psychological, with stress being the most common contributor. Other factors can include depression, anxiety and other mood disorders, medical illnesses such as heart disease, respiratory disease, or disorders of the digestive system which cause physical discomfort. Heartburn, diabetes, arthritis, as well as lifestyle factors such as caffeine, alcohol, drug use, work patterns, and prescription medications are all causes of insomnia.

If the body experiences a lack of restful restorative sleep, some noticeable issues can arise, such as constantly being tired, irritable and generally fatigued. Your memory, concentration and patience will all decrease and your general mood can become very negative. Another noticeable symptom is a preoccupation with the need for sleep or anxiety over the lack of sleep. In this sense a cyclical problem can occur, where the less you sleep the greater your anxiety due to not being able to sleep.

Studies have shown that melatonin has many uses beyond sleep aid. Treating osteoporosis by promoting bone growth, reducing depression and anxiety in postmenopausal women, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and panic disorders, helping people address eating disorders like anorexia, lowering the platelet count in breast cancer and prostate cancer patients, controlling excess weight loss in chemotherapy patients, sarcoidosis, rheumatoid arthritis, epilepsy, sunburn, viral encephalitis and ADHD treatment. Melatonin has also been shown to boost the immune system due to its amazing antioxidant properties.

Melatonin is also able to significantly increase daytime alertness by promoting deep, restful sleep. People who suffer from disturbed sleeping patterns due to low melatonin levels can now get rid of their sleeping problem using melatonin based supplements.