When it is time to close your eyes at night, how quick do you fall asleep? Do you sometimes struggle to turn off your thoughts at night or just wake up suddenly even though it is midnight? Your body naturally produces the hormone melatonin when it gets dark, and harsh lights tells your body to stop making it. Think of when you put a blanket over a bird’s cage to get them to sleep. Turning off the television or powering off electronic such as a phone or tablet an hour before bed can be better for sleep. The Bluelight they emit can be stimulating to the brain and cause it to stay awake longer.
Age makes a difference
Like mentioned earlier, your body naturally makes melatonin but the older your get this decreases. In earlier teenage years is when the production hits it’s highest point and then drops off from there.
Please take a look at the graph above to see when your average might be.
Melatonin naturally calms your body down and helps you feel ready for sleep. Which helps you fall asleep once melatonin increases to sufficient levels in your body. It has strong antioxidant properties to support immune system and brain function and to help maintain healthy blood pressure. But for occasional sleeplessness, take melatonin at night, about 30-60 minutes before bedtime to get it ready for sleep. This should only be used as a short term aid for occasional sleep issues.
The Perfect Melatonin Fit
How to find the best melatonin for you can be difficult. Melatonin supplements generally range in milligrams from less than 1 to 10, and they come in liquid, lozenge, gummy, as well as capsules and tablets. It is best to start with the lowest dosage, with increases over time until you find the melatonin dosage that is right for you. When if comes to the different means of taking it, most have found that a liquid or lozenge gets into the blood stream faster then a capsule or tablet.
If you have tried melatonin and still find you are struggling to get to sleep each night, you may need to change your sleep habits. Take a look at what your pattern is each night to see if a change can be made to get that good night sleep.