Do melatonin sleep aids work?
Much research has been on done on melatonin, but there is little evidence that the hormone taken as a supplement can help with most sleep problems, including insomnia. Melatonin supplements may be effective in certain circumstances. They can help a condition called delayed sleep phase syndrome. A person with this condition has difficulty falling asleep until very late at night, but then wakes early in the morning. In 2004, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) concluded that melatonin supplements could be effective for this condition when taken for a short time: days or weeks. It did not recommend taking them for a longer period. Melatonin may also help with jet lag but studies are not clear whether it acts to alleviate daytime fatigue or treat sleep disturbances associated with time zone changes.
Much research has been on done on melatonin, but there is little evidence that the hormone taken as a supplement can help with most sleep problems, including insomnia. Melatonin supplements, however, may be effective in certain unique circumstances. They can help a condition called delayed sleep phase syndrome. A person with this condition has difficulty falling asleep until very late at night, but then wakes early in the morning. In 2004, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) concluded that melatonin supplements could be effective for this condition when taken for a short time: days or weeks. It did not recommend taking them for a longer period. Melatonin may also help with jet lag, but studies are not clear whether it acts to alleviate daytime fatigue or to treat sleep disturbances associated with time zone changes.
