Melatonin
The hormone your brain releases in the evening to signal that it's time to sleep. Supplements mainly help shift the timing of sleep rather than knock you out.
Supplements can interact with medications and aren't right for everyone, especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or with a chronic condition. Ask your provider before you start.
Studied for
- Jet lag
- Shift work and shifted sleep schedules
- Trouble falling asleep
- A body clock that runs late (delayed sleep phase)
Found naturally in
- Your own brain makes it, especially in darkness
- Small amounts in tart cherries, pistachios, and eggs
Label red flags
- No third-party testing (melatonin content often doesn't match the label)
- High-strength products marketed as 'extra strength' (more isn't better for sleep timing)
Check with a provider
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Autoimmune conditions or immune-suppressing medicines (melatonin affects immune activity)
- Taking blood thinners, seizure medicines, diabetes medicine, or sedatives
- Depression (it may worsen symptoms in some people)
- Next-day grogginess. Don't drive until you know how it affects you.
Usually found in sleep formulas, jet lag products. Browse Dr. Lesher's dispensary
Parts of the body it affects
Explore what each area does and the conditions that can affect it.
Illustrations: Servier Medical Art, CC BY 4.0
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Dr. Lesher is a Naturopathic Doctor who focuses on autoimmune and chronic conditions in women. Since 2020, she's helped hundreds of patients stop managing symptoms and start healing.