The Best Time to Take Melatonin for Maximum Sleep Benefits

Melatonin is a popular sleep supplement that mimics the hormone your brain produces to regulate your sleep cycle. It’s usually taken 30 minutes to one hour before bedtime, though the ideal timing can vary based on dose, formulation, and how your body responds.

For Occasional Trouble Sleeping

Melatonin is often used to help alleviate occasional insomnia (trouble sleeping). To help you fall asleep, it’s generally recommended to take melatonin 30 minutes to one hour before your desired bedtime.

For Shift Work Sleep Disorder

Night shift work can cause shift work sleep disorder (SWSD), significantly disrupting the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, known as the circadian rhythm. For SWSD, take your melatonin 30 minutes to one hour before your desired bedtime.

For Jet Lag

Jet lag is a temporary sleep disorder that happens when your internal body clock is out of sync with the local time at your travel destination.

If you’ve flown east, consider taking melatonin at night in the new time zone until you adapt to local time. If you’ve flown west, take melatonin in the mornings in the new time zone to help adjust your circadian rhythm. Take melatonin 30 minutes to one hour before you plan to sleep at your new destination.

Factors That Affect Melatonin Timing

The exact time melatonin takes to work can vary based on the dose and form of melatonin.

Melatonin remains in the body for four to five hours after taking it. It may metabolize differently in different people depending on factors such as:

• Age
• Health condition
• Dose strength
• Dosage form (immediate or extended-release)
• Other medications, if taking any

Extended-release melatonin (released slowly into the body over a longer period) might take longer to start working than immediate-release (released more quickly into the body right away). Therefore, it might take some trial and error to determine the exact timing that works best for you.

How Much to Take

There is no set dosage for melatonin, but certain dosages have been recommended and used in studies:

• Recommended dosage: The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends taking 2 milligrams (mg) of melatonin 30 minutes before bedtime for insomnia. Studies have found that doses ranging from 1 to 6 mg seem to work well for improving sleep. Some research has also suggested doses lower than 1 mg may work just as well.
• Maximum dosage: A maximum dosage for adults has not been defined, but melatonin is typically sold in doses up to 10 mg.
• Dosage in children: The dose should generally not exceed 3 mg.

Different formulations of melatonin are available. The most commonly used formulation is a chewable gummy for adults, but there are also liquid options for children.

How Often Should You Take Melatonin?

Melatonin is generally considered safe for short-term use. Adults have safely taken up to 8 mg daily for six months, while children may take up to 3 mg daily for up to three months. However, long-term use hasn’t been well studied, so it’s best to use melatonin under the guidance of a healthcare provider and only as needed.

Common Melatonin Mistakes

Here are some common mistakes when taking melatonin that can reduce its effectiveness or lead to unwanted side effects:

• Using melatonin as a permanent solution: Melatonin should not be used as an ongoing treatment for chronic insomnia, since its effectiveness for treating the condition is unclear. Talk to your healthcare provider about other treatment options for insomnia.
• Taking it at the wrong time: It’s essential to time your melatonin dose for the right time, such as when preparing to sleep. Avoid taking it too soon or too close to bedtime.
• Assuming anyone can use it: It’s not known if melatonin is safe to use in people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. It can also worsen certain health conditions, such as depression, high blood pressure, and bleeding disorders.
• Taking higher doses: The evidence indicates that effective doses of melatonin range from 1 to 6 mg. It is better to start taking it at the lowest effective dose.
• Taking melatonin long term: In low doses, longer-term melatonin may be safe when regularly used. However, it’s generally recommended to avoid long-term use as more research is needed.

Who Should Not Take Melatonin?

Melatonin is a relatively safe supplement when used in the short term. However, it is not recommended for individuals with certain health conditions. These include:

• Being pregnant or breastfeeding
• Bleeding disorders
• High blood pressure
• Transplant recipients
• Epilepsy
• A personal or family history of depression

Melatonin is usually well tolerated in children and adolescents. However, it might interfere with development during adolescence. It should only be used in children with a medical need under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Long-term use of melatonin in children is not recommended.

Interactions

Melatonin may interact with certain medications, potentially causing side effects. These include:

• Antidepressants, such as Luvox (fluvoxamine)
• Sedatives or hypnotics, such as Valium (diazepam),
• Birth control pills, such as Yaz (drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol)
• Caffeine
• Diabetes medications, such as Invokana (canagliflozin)
• Antihypertensive drugs, such as Lotensin (benazepril)
• Immunosuppressant drugs, such as Humira (adalimumab)
• Anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs, such as Jantoven (warfarin)
• Seizure medications, such as Lamictal (lamotrigine)

Limit the intake of alcohol before bed as it impairs sleep and reduces the production of melatonin.