Melatonin

Have you ever asked yourself why while you are in a dark place you feel you want to sleep ?? In this article, we will discuss this subject.

Your brain releases a certain hormone that controls the process of sleeping. This hormone is called Melatonin. The production and release of melatonin in the brain is increasing when it is dark and decreasing when it is light. with the increase in age the production of melatonin decrease.

What is Melatonin?

Melatonin is a natural hormone that is produced by the pineal gland in the brain and then released into the bloodstream. Darkness prompts the pineal gland to start producing melatonin while light causes that production to stop.

The hormone can be produced within the body ( endogenous melatonin ) and can also be produced externally ( exogenous melatonin ). Exogenous melatonin is available as a supplement, typically as an oral tablet. Most melatonin supplements are made in a lab.

Benefits of melatonin

Taking melatonin before bed may help you get to sleep. Melatonin help reduce the time it took to fall asleep by an average of 7 minutes.

Additionally, melatonin can help with jet lag, a temporary sleep disorder. Jet lag occurs when your body’s internal clock is out of sync with the new time zone. Melatonin can help reduce jet lag by syncing your internal clock with the time change.

Melatonin is also a powerful antioxidant, which may provide a variety of other benefits.

In fact, it may help:

A) support eye health

B) treat stomach ulcers and heartburn

C) ease tinnitus symptoms

D) raise growth hormone levels in men

Support eye health

Help lower the risk of eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Taking melatonin daily helped protect the retinas and delay damage from AMD, without any significant side effects.

Help treat stomach ulcers and heartburn

The antioxidant properties of melatonin may help treat stomach ulcers and alleviate heartburn.

A study with 21 participants found that taking melatonin and tryptophan along with omeprazole helped stomach ulcers caused by the bacteria H. pylori heal faster.

Omeprazole is a common medication for acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

In another study, 36 people with GERD were given either melatonin, omeprazole, or a combination of both to treat GERD and its symptoms.

Melatonin helped reduce heartburn and was even more effective when combined with omeprazole.

Reduce symptoms of tinnitus

Tinnitus is a condition characterized by a constant ringing in the ears. It’s often worse when there’s less background noise, such as when you’re trying to fall asleep.

Interestingly, taking melatonin may help reduce symptoms of tinnitus and help you get to sleep.

Help increase growth hormone levels in men

Human growth hormone (HGH) is naturally released during sleep. In healthy young men, taking melatonin may help increase HGH levels.

Studies have shown that melatonin can make the pituitary gland, the organ that releases HGH, more sensitive to the hormone that releases HGH. A study found that 5 mg of melatonin combined with resistance training increased the levels of HGH in men while lowering the levels of somatostatin, a hormone that inhibits HGH.

How does it work?

Melatonin works together with your body’s circadian rhythm.

In simple terms, the circadian rhythm is your body’s internal clock. It lets you know when it’s time to:

- sleep

- wake

- eat

Melatonin also helps regulate your body temperature, your blood pressure, and the levels of some hormones.

It also binds to receptors in the body and can help you relax.

For instance, melatonin binds to receptors in the brain to help reduce nerve activity.

It can reduce levels of dopamine, a hormone that helps you stay awake. It’s also involved in some aspects of the day-night cycle of your eyes.

Many factors may cause low melatonin levels at night Stress, smoking, exposure to too much light at night (including blue light), not getting enough natural light during the day, shift work, and aging all affect melatonin production.

Written by / Manar Ahmed