Current:Home > BackCatch some ZZZs: How long does melatonin last? Here's what you should know.-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Catch some ZZZs: How long does melatonin last? Here's what you should know.
View Date:2024-12-23 19:44:52
Did you know that roughly 1 in 3 adults have insomnia? According to the Cleveland Clinic, 10% of adults fit the criteria for an insomnia disorder.
Many people who suffer from insomnia and sleep disorders turn to supplements like melatonin to help them fall asleep faster, but does it work?
Find out how long melatonin lasts in your system, how long it takes to work and how much melatonin you should take for the best night's sleep.
How long does melatonin last?
“The half-life of melatonin is between 20 and 50 minutes, so that means half of the initial dosage is eliminated after that amount of time,” explained Dr. Michelle Drerup, Director of Behavioral Sleep Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. “So, it would stay in your system around four to five hours.”
Melatonin does not do much for the body in terms of helping people stay asleep, if any effect occurs it has to do with initially falling asleep, said Drerup.
How long does melatonin take to work?
Melatonin should be taken about two to four hours before your desired sleeping time, said Dr. Hal Alpert, a telemedicine consultant at Blue Sleep. Additionally, it is best not to drive for at least five hours after taking melatonin due to its lasting sedative effects.
“[Melatonin] is a hormone that signals that it's time to go to sleep and light exposure, particularly blue light from computers, cell phones, and fluorescent lights will inhibit the release of melatonin,” explained Alpert. “That is why for people who have insomnia it is best not to use these devices for at least four hours or so before bedtime.”
How much melatonin should I take?
A starting dose of melatonin can be as low as .1 to .3 milligrams and the usual over-the-counter dosage is one to three milligrams in adults, said Alpert.
“The maximum safe dose is up to 10 milligrams, but it's shown that once you get to three milligrams, the higher doses don't get you to sleep any faster than the three-milligram dosage,” explained Alpert.
Just Curious for more?
Here at Just Curious, we're looking into all of your questions. From "What chemicals make you happy?", to "What the healthiest bread is?," to more information "Why do people sleepwalk?" Make sure to check out USA TODAY's Just Curious section for more trivia, tidbits and information you might want to know.
veryGood! (99)
Related
- Trump on Day 1: Begin deportation push, pardon Jan. 6 rioters and make his criminal cases vanish
- SUV hits 6 migrant workers in N.C. Walmart parking lot, apparently on purpose, then flees, police say
- Mar-a-Lago worker charged in Trump’s classified documents case to make first court appearance
- Georgia resident dies from rare brain-eating amoeba, likely infected while swimming in a lake or pond
- RHOBH's Kyle Richards Addresses PK Kemsley Cheating Rumors in the Best Way Possible
- Announcing the 2023 Student Podcast Challenge Honorable Mentions
- Ukraine says Russian missiles hit another apartment building and likely trapped people under rubble
- Mar-a-Lago worker charged in Trump’s classified documents case to make first court appearance
- Patricia Heaton criticizes media, 'extremists' she says 'fear-mongered' in 2024 election
- Biden has decided to keep Space Command in Colorado, rejecting move to Alabama, officials tell AP
Ranking
- NFL power rankings Week 11: Steelers, Eagles enjoying stealthy rises
- Gas prices up: Sticker shock hits pump as heat wave, oil prices push cost to 8-month high
- Pee-wee Herman creator Paul Reubens dies at 70
- Haiti's gang violence worsens humanitarian crisis: 'No magic solution'
- Caitlin Clark has one goal for her LPGA pro-am debut: Don't hit anyone with a golf ball
- South Korean dog meat farmers push back against growing moves to outlaw their industry
- Paul Reubens Dead: Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O’Brien and More Stars Honor Pee-Wee Herman Actor
- Investigators use an unlikely clue to bring young mom's killer to justice
Recommendation
-
Traveling to Las Vegas? Here Are the Best Black Friday Hotel Deals
-
CBS News poll on how people are coping with the heat
-
Whitney Houston’s estate announces second annual Legacy of Love Gala with BeBe Winans, Kim Burrell
-
Announcing the 2023 Student Podcast Challenge Honorable Mentions
-
Some women are stockpiling Plan B and abortion pills. Here's what experts have to say.
-
Can you drink on antibiotics? Here's what happens to your body when you do.
-
Magnus White, 17-year-old American cyclist, killed while training for upcoming world championships
-
Damar Hamlin puts aside fear and practices in pads for the first time since cardiac arrest