Are You Taking Too Much Melatonin for Sleep?
Key takeaways:
Smaller doses of melatonin may be more effective than larger ones for helping you sleep.
Melatonin supplements are not regulated by the FDA, and products often contain more than what’s written on the label.
Boost your body’s natural melatonin by limiting light at night. Keep the bedroom dark and turn off screens 2 to 3 hours before bed
Table of contents
Lots of people, including kids, are taking melatonin to help them fall asleep. And while the research shows that the hormone can be an effective sleep aid, you may be taking more melatonin than you need. In fact, the number of people who take doses of 5 mg or more is rising. But smaller doses of melatonin may actually be more effective and have fewer side effects.
How does melatonin help you sleep?
Melatonin is a hormone that’s produced naturally by the brain’s pineal gland. It’s sometimes known as the “hormone of darkness.” This is because the body ramps up the production of melatonin after the sun goes down, causing sleepiness and signaling that it’s time for bed.
Melatonin’s main purpose is to help regulate the sleep-wake cycle, also known as your circadian rhythm. This is the body’s internal clock that regulates wakefulness and sleepiness.
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Melatonin is also available as a supplement. It’s now one of the most widely used over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids.
How much melatonin do most people take?
The use of melatonin has grown dramatically in recent years. For context, sales of melatonin in the U.S. more than doubled between 2017 and 2020, rising to $821 million.
The typical dose people take ranges between 1 mg and 5 mg. But more people are taking higher doses, of 5 mg or more. It’s easy to find supplements at the drugstore or online with as much as 10 mg of melatonin.
What’s the best dose of melatonin for sleep?
Research shows that smaller doses of melatonin may be more effective and have fewer potential side effects than larger melatonin dosages.
Melatonin should be taken at the lowest dose for the shortest period of time, according to a review. The ideal amount seems to be quite low — 0.3 mg to 0.5 mg. That’s less than 1 mg.
The average adult naturally produces between 0.1 mg and 0.9 mg per day. So, when taking melatonin for sleep, you want to stay within that level and not go past it.
Most people take between 1 mg and 5 mg of melatonin. Healthcare professionals recommend starting with 1 mg to 2 mg. That’s still higher than the lower ideal range of 0.3 mg to 0.5 mg.
In summary, if you want to take melatonin to improve your sleep, go for a lower dose of 0.3 mg to 0.5 mg per night. It may be easier to find melatonin products with 0.5 mg than with 0.3 mg. You can also split a 1 mg tablet in half.
What’s the downside to taking too much melatonin?
Taking more melatonin isn’t more effective. And it can even be harmful. Higher doses of melatonin have been linked to unwanted side effects.
In one study, people took 0.1 mg, 0.3 mg, or 3 mg of melatonin 30 minutes before bedtime. Those taking 3 mg had similar improvements in sleep as those taking lower doses. But they were more likely to have side effects. One side effect was hypothermia (low body temperature). Another was a “hangover effect,” caused by elevated levels of melatonin in the blood that continued into the next day.
There are also rising concerns over the lack of safety data on melatonin, especially for long-term use of high doses. Melatonin is considered a dietary supplement and isn’t regulated by the FDA. The amount of melatonin in supplements can be much higher than what’s listed on the label. This can be a big concern for children.
A study found that the majority of melatonin gummies, which are often taken by children, were inaccurately labeled. Most had more melatonin than what was written on the label, ranging from about 1 mg to 13 mg per serving. For children, that could be a dose more than 100 times higher than normal levels. And it could result in a melatonin overdose.
If you’re taking melatonin, make sure your supplements have been verified by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) or certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF).
Who should take melatonin?
If you have insomnia (trouble sleeping), melatonin may be helpful. If you don’t, it probably won’t benefit you much. Melatonin has been shown to have little to no benefit for normal sleepers. But it has proven useful for those who meet criteria for insomnia.
You may have insomnia if you:
Take 30 minutes or more to fall asleep
Wake two or more times during the night
Get less than 6 hours of sleep (total) per night
Even if you have insomnia, try practicing good sleep hygiene before reaching for melatonin products. You may be able to boost your melatonin levels naturally through your sleep habits. For example, artificial light at night can suppress your body’s production of melatonin. This can be simply from bright room lights, or from blue light that comes from computers, TVs, and phone screens.
Sleep experts typically recommend dimming the lights and shutting down devices 2 to 3 hours before bed.
The bottom line
Many people take more melatonin than they need, which can lead to unwanted side effects. Doses of 3 mg and higher are more than your body’s natural production of the hormone. The goal is to match what your body naturally produces, because sometimes this is suppressed by exposure to lights at night. At the same time, try to limit lights and screen time at night so you don’t interfere with your body’s natural production of melatonin.
Why trust our experts?
References
Cohen, P. A., et al. (2023), Quantity of melatonin and CBD in melatonin gummies sold in the US. JAMA.
Li, J., et al. (2022). Trends in use of melatonin supplements among US adults, 1999-2018. JAMA.
Minich, D. M., et al. (2022). Is melatonin the “next vitamin D”?: A review of emerging science, clinical uses, safety, and dietary supplements. Nutrients.
National Sanitation Foundation. (n.d.). What is NSF certification?
U.S. Pharmacopeia. (n.d.). USP verified mark.
Zhdanova, I. V., et al. (2001) Melatonin treatment for age-related insomnia. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
