Melatonin for insomnia? Expert: Not for everyone!

According to Nanjing Zero Distance News, according to statistics, there are 200 million insomnia patients in my country, staying up late to work overtime, addicted to watching dramas… The reasons for insomnia are even more varied. In recent years, the so-called “sleep artifact” melatonin has also become popular, and many insomniacs are pinning their hopes on drugs to try to return to a normal sleep state.

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the human brain, which has the effect of promoting sleep and regulating circadian rhythm. Normal people begin to have a peak of melatonin secretion two hours after falling asleep. Sleep disturbances may occur when the body produces insufficient melatonin. But in my country, the melatonin that can be seen on the market is not a medicine, but a health food.

Li Yinghui, deputy chief physician of the Department of Psychology and Psychiatry, Zhongda Hospital Affiliated to Southeast University, introduced that children secrete more melatonin, and as they age, the secretion of melatonin will decrease, resulting in insomnia. However, it is not recommended that you blindly supplement melatonin. If you have symptoms of insomnia, the best way is to consult a doctor and prescribe the right medicine.

According to experts, although melatonin can promote sleep, it cannot be used as a drug to treat insomnia, and the sleep problems that melatonin can improve is relatively limited. If people who are not suitable for it take it at will, not only will it not improve symptoms, but it will lead to a decrease in their own melatonin secretion, which will lead to a vicious circle and cause more serious sleep disorders.

The doctor said that sleep disorders caused by rhythm disorders can be improved by melatonin, such as jet lag, night shifts, etc., but it should not be taken for too long. There are also some elderly people who suffer from insomnia due to decreased secretion of melatonin, and can also take melatonin for a short period of time.

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In daily life, you can eat more foods that are conducive to the synthesis of melatonin, such as eggs with high tryptophan content, fish, milk, and millet. Don’t eat dinner too late, avoid strenuous exercise before bed, don’t smoke, don’t drink caffeinated drinks… There are many ways to improve sleep. At the same time, children should avoid taking melatonin to prevent nerve damage.