A good night’s sleep is imperative to operating and functioning at peak performance every single day. Without it, we are left tired, in a brain fog, and sometimes just downright miserable.
Thankfully, there is a hormone that is a natural way to promote better, more restful sleep each night called melatonin. This is a naturally occurring substance in the body, but often our bodies may not produce enough melatonin to give us the rest we need so we might be inclined to take supplements to increase our levels.
Low melatonin levels in the body that result in sleep deprivation can result in poor cognitive function, ebbs and flows in blood sugar levels, high blood pressure, and even impaired immune function. These will all affect the way we feel and operate on a daily basis.
In this article, we are going to take a look at how much melatonin you should take in order to promote healthy, restful sleep, and feel better each day. Read along and find out how melatonin can help you.
The Right Dose of Melatonin
The right dose of melatonin can do wonders for your sleep and overall health and well-being. It’s a natural sleep-aid that does not have the worrisome side effects of pharmaceuticals, and you don’t have to worry about its ingredients because it’s naturally occurring in our bodies.
Unfortunately, melatonin dosage by weight has not been shown to be an effective way to properly dose this supplement, so you’ll need to experiment a little bit at first as the proper amount is highly individualized in nature.
It is recommended that adults start with a low dosage of one to two milligrams at first and see how the supplement affects their sleep. From there, if you feel the need for more, you may increase your dosage one to two milligrams at a time until the proper amount of melatonin is achieved.
The maximum dosage amount that is generally recommended for an adult is somewhere in the neighborhood of five to ten milligrams of melatonin at a time.
Benefits of the Proper Dose of Melatonin
Melatonin shows a wide range of benefits to those that are experiencing issues with falling asleep or staying asleep.
Melatonin is the body’s way of regulating our sleep patterns, in essence, it’s our internal clock. It tells our brain when its time to sleep and also when it’s time to wake up, which is why it is so important that we maintain the proper levels.
Melatonin supplements aid in our bodies ability to produce this hormone, allowing us to lead a more regulated sleep cycle. This allows for better, more restful sleep.
These supplements are especially helpful for people who might be jet-lagged after a long flight, suffer from mild insomnia, or are simply light sleepers.
In addition to the benefits of having a well-regulated internal clock, melatonin also helps you relax, regulates body temperature, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels.
The benefits to the proper dosage of melatonin are wide-ranging and important to leading a high-quality standard of living each day.
How Do I Know If I’ve Taken Too Much Melatonin?
While there is a myriad of positive benefits to the right dosage of melatonin, there are also a few adverse effects that you might feel if you’ve taken too much melatonin. While you shouldn’t suffer any major side-effects, you can certainly feel when you might have overdone it.
Too much melatonin can give you the adverse of the desired effect—you’ll have poor circadian rhythms, and it could leave you feeling restless. In addition to this, you might still feel tired or groggy the following day, meaning that your system has not been able to completely rid itself of the supplement by the next day.
If you start to feel tired and groggy the next day, you might want to back off a little bit on the supplement and take a lower dose. You should always take melatonin about an hour before bedtime and wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the day.
Starting at a low dose and slowly increasing until you find the “sweet spot” is highly recommended when starting a melatonin dosage as this will allow you to home in on the exact amount your body needs for regular sleep patterns.
Conclusion
Melatonin is a wonderful and natural way to promote healthier sleeping habits. There are limited side effects, and not many dangers to taking these supplements, which makes them an amazing alternative to taking prescription or over-the-counter sleep aids.
If you can dial in the proper dosage, you’ll fall asleep faster and wake up feeling more refreshed each day. Start with a low dose and work your way up until you find exactly the right amount. Your body will thank you.