What is Melatonin? A Calming Sleep Supplement for Kids and Adults
What is melatonin?
Melatonin: The Sleep Hormone
Melatonin is a hormone that plays an important role in sleep, and our bodies produce melatonin naturally. It’s made in the pineal gland in the brain. Melatonin can also be produced synthetically in a lab as a supplement to take in different forms, like a tablet or a gummy, to help with troubled sleeping.
How does melatonin work?
Melatonin lets the body know when it’s time to sleep and wake up. The production and release of melatonin works with the timing of your circadian rhythm (24-hour internal biological clock) that synchronizes with environmental cues. Melatonin production naturally increases when it’s dark and decreases when it’s light. In fact, being exposed to light at night can block internal melatonin production. Our bodies produce melatonin from 2-3 months of age, but the levels start to decline as we grow older.
Benefits of melatonin
Jet lag recovery
Jet lag is a condition that happens when you travel across different time zones. The shift in time can confuse your body’s internal clock, creating difficulty in adjusting to a new schedule in a different time zone. You may feel fatigue from being thrown off your routine. By taking melatonin at the appropriate time, travelers can help reset their internal clocks and adapt more quickly to their new time zone. Read our NEW Resetting Kid’s Sleep Schedule article for more on helping your little bee deal with jet lag.
How to incorporate melatonin into your routine
When to consider melatonin
That’s a personal choice for everyone. We suggest starting with these tips for a consistent sleep routine before taking any supplements. If that does not resolve the issue, talk to your doctor about melatonin for occasional sleeplessness and take as directed. If melatonin is right for you, see our Children’s and Adult’s Sleep products†.
†For occasional sleeplessness.
Supplements
Melatonin supplements are available in a variety of forms to fit different needs and preferences like liquid, gummies, capsules, or oral tablets. For your little ones, explore safe, drug-free, and non-habit-forming options like Children’s Sleep Gummies with Melatonin and other Sleep products to help promote peaceful sleep*†.
†For occasional sleeplessness.
References
- Melatonin, Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-melatonin/art-20363071
- Melatonin for Sleep: Does It Work? Johns Hopkins Medicine, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/melatonin-for-sleep-does-it-work
- Melatonin, Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23411-melatonin
- What’s the Right Way to Take Melatonin? Cleveland Clinic, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/whats-the-right-way-to-take-melatonin
Links to other parties’ articles and websites are provided for convenience only. Kenvue is not responsible for their content.
