How Long Do the Effects of Melatonin Last?

Do you know someone who can doze off within seconds, whether they’re lying down in bed or sitting upright in a chair? If you’re the type of person who can’t fall asleep easily, it can be frustrating to watch others drift off into dreamland with minimal effort.

It’s natural to have trouble sleeping every once in a while, whether it’s from jet lag or stress-induced insomnia. But if you consistently find yourself staring at the ceiling at night willing your brain to turn off, it may be time to try a sleep aid. There are many different types of sleep aids available, including prescription sleeping pills and natural alternatives. One of the most common ingredients used to combat insomnia is melatonin.

A melatonin pill or powder may be the solution to your sleep woes. A proper dosage of this hormone can help moderate the sleep-wake cycle so you wake up feeling refreshed and well-rested. Here are a few things you should know about how melatonin works and how long it should take for your body to eliminate it.  

Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate the body’s sleep cycle. When your brain senses darkness, it  stimulates melatonin production in the pineal gland to help you begin to feel drowsy at night. When melatonin secretion occurs within the body, it is called endogenous melatonin. But when melatonin is made externally (often synthetically), it is called exogenous melatonin.

Some melatonin products are made from natural melatonin (sourced from microorganisms or animals). But the vast majority of melatonin gummies and other products are made from synthetic melatonin.

Unfortunately, there are a variety of things that can disturb the body’s natural sleep schedule. For those who have a circadian rhythm disorder, sleep may not come easily at night. We may experience frequent sleep problems that prevent us from getting adequate rest. When poor sleep quality is a consistent issue, melatonin sleep aids can help.   

Melatonin supplements can help with a variety of sleep disorders and temporary sleep issues, such as delayed sleep-wake phase disorder, jet lag, and circadian rhythm issues. Melatonin supplementation has been shown to promote better sleep quality and improve sleep onset in people who have these sleep disorders.

In addition to its use as a sleep aid for people with insomnia or occasional sleeplessness, melatonin can also help manage blood pressure, immune function, and cortisol levels. It also acts as an antioxidant and may help ward off sicknesses. Those all sound like great reasons to give melatonin a try the next time you get tired of counting sheep for hours!

Though melatonin is a natural hormone that the human body produces, it is possible to get too much of it. An overdose of melatonin can interfere with other hormones and may negatively impact blood pressure. Additional side effects associated with a melatonin level that’s too high include:

• Dizziness
• Mood swings
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Headaches
• Excessive sleepiness
• Joint pain
• Anxiety
• Vivid dreams/nightmares

The good news is that most people can avoid these side effects by only taking the recommended dosage of melatonin. It is generally considered safe to take melatonin every night. Though more research needs to be done, studies show that adults who use melatonin for the long term may experience side effects, but they are quite mild and comparable to placebo.   

When it comes to taking melatonin, you may have a lot of questions. For example, you’re probably wondering, “how long does melatonin last?” Can you expect it to keep you asleep through the night? Will the effects wear off by the time you need to get up for work or school in the morning? These are all great questions.

Most people can sleep through the night after taking melatonin, while others may wake in the middle of the night once the effects wear off. However, depending on various factors (including the type of melatonin taken, the dosage, the age of the individual taking it, and their body weight), it can take up to four hours to eliminate a melatonin supplement from the body. For this reason, it’s important to avoid operating equipment or driving for at least four hours after taking a melatonin sleep aid (or until the melatonin has completely cleared from your system).

Extended-release melatonin is more likely to remain in the body longer than regular melatonin. It may also cause daytime sleepiness.

The typical recommended dosage of melatonin for adults is between 1 mg and 5 mg. Mixhers Sleep contains 3 mg of melatonin, which is an amount well tolerated by most people and is unlikely to cause overdose symptoms.

Taking melatonin won’t yield immediate results, so it’s important to give yourself time for the hormone’s effects to kick in. With the right dosage for your age, size, and metabolism, you’ll most likely start to feel sleepy about one hour after taking an oral melatonin sleep aid. So you’ll want to take the hormone about one hour before bedtime.

But it’s important to note that every body is different. Your body may not start to feel the effects of your melatonin supplement until a couple of hours after you take it. So don’t make the mistake of taking additional melatonin one hour after your first dose because it hasn’t kicked in yet.

Or, you may have the opposite experience and discover that the effects of your melatonin dose begin to impact you within minutes. If this is the case, you’ll want to take your melatonin supplement immediately before bedtime.

Many of us have trouble getting sufficient sleep at night. Some of us have sleep apnea, while others may struggle with chronic insomnia or jet lag from frequent travels. Still, others may mess up our circadian rhythms by staying up partying all night or switching between night and day shifts at work. No matter what’s causing it, chronic sleep deprivation can impact our quality of life and potentially lead to some pretty awful health repercussions. We’re talking about scary things like stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.  

For those of us who are serious about eliminating our daytime drowsiness and improving sleep hygiene for the sake of our mental and physical health, the right melatonin dosage can work wonders. When combined with other sleep-promoting ingredients, the effects of melatonin can be even more pronounced.

Mixhers Sleep is formulated with melatonin, chamomile, and ashwagandha root, which are all shown to promote relaxation and healthy sleep. It also contains collagen to help the body’s tissues repair themselves while you sleep. These natural ingredients work together to promote good sleep quality and keep you from lying awake at bedtime. Plus, it tastes great, so you’ll actually enjoy taking it.