Irritability Too much melatonin can also affect mood. You may feel cranky, anxious, or have periods of depression.
Less common melatonin side effects might include short-lasting feelings of depression, mild tremor, mild anxiety, abdominal cramps, irritability, reduced alertness, confusion or disorientation. Because melatonin can cause daytime drowsiness, don't drive or use machinery within five hours of taking the supplement.
Daytime sleepiness or grogginess
The popular use of melatonin is to make you sleep. However, this sleepiness can carry on into the following day. Daytime sleepiness is when you feel the need to fall asleep despite wanting to be awake. This is the most common side effect people experience when taking melatonin.
In this study, melatonin worked better than a placebo sugar pill to improve sleep and decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety. Research shows that melatonin can be effective at reducing anxiety before surgical or medical procedures.
Over-the-counter supplements are not regulated and there isn't a standard dose of melatonin in each one. And, some people, especially older adults, experience the opposite effect and feel anxious and jittery after taking it.
This means melatonin will stay in the body for about 5 hours. If you stay awake during this time, you're more likely to feel aftereffects like drowsiness. That's why it's recommended to avoid driving or using heavy machinery within 5 hours of taking it. But remember, everyone metabolizes drugs differently.
It's been used safely for up to 2 years. But it can cause some side effects including headache, sleepiness, dizziness, and nausea. Don't drive or use machinery for 4-5 hours after taking melatonin.
According to a 2016 meta-analysis of clinical trials, Melatonin may be a natural alternative to relieving symptoms of anxiousness. A systematic review of the included randomized trials suggests that melatonin supplements could be an effective treatment option for people with certain types of anxiety.
As melatonin is used for sleep, it brings energy levels down. Weakened energy can contribute to feelings of depression. Lowering one's mood more than the individual is used to can lead to a depressive state.
The morning after taking melatonin, you should wake up feeling rested, relaxed and invigorated. If you've gotten a full night's sleep, but still feel groggy when you wake, you may be taking too large of a dose of melatonin. Reduce your dose next time to see if that helps.
Too much melatonin can have the opposite effect of its intended purpose. It can make it harder to sleep because your circadian rhythms will be disrupted. An overdose can also leave you groggy and sleepy during the day and give you nightmares or vivid dreams at night.
The half-time of the supplement, the time it takes for your body to metabolize half of the dosage, is about 30 to 40 minutes. In most cases, it takes 4 to 5 half-lives for your body to eliminate the supplement. Therefore, melatonin can stay in your body for up to 4 hours.
If you've been drinking alcohol, it's also not safe to take melatonin. Melatonin is also not for you if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Researchers simply don't have enough data to know if it's safe for fetuses or breastfed babies.
Anxiety can be caused by a variety of things: stress, genetics, brain chemistry, traumatic events, or environmental factors. Symptoms can be reduced with anti-anxiety medication. But even with medication, people may still experience some anxiety or even panic attacks.
A little anxiety is fine, but long-term anxiety may cause more serious health problems, such as high blood pressure (hypertension). You may also be more likely to develop infections. If you're feeling anxious all the time, or it's affecting your day-to-day life, you may have an anxiety disorder or a panic disorder.
Tips for Reducing Morning Anxiety
For instance, you can engage in exercise, which increases endorphins, improves mental focus, and elevates mood. You can also practice meditation or mindfulness, which can improve ability to calm the mind and stop the cycle of anxious thoughts.
A 2018 study found that the administration of melatonin was more effective in improving anxiety and sleeping patterns than the drug oxazepam in people undergoing heart surgery.
Benzodiazepines are a group of structurally-related compounds that reduce anxiety when given at low doses and induce sleep at higher doses. Clinical guidelines generally recommend to prescribe benzodiazepines to treat anxiety or insomnia that is severe, disabling and causing extreme distress.
The usual dosage of oral melatonin is 0.1 mg to 5 mg before bedtime (Savage, 2021).
If you experience side effects from melatonin, stop taking it and speak with your doctor. They may recommend using a lower dose or trying out an alternative medication or sleep aid.
How Long Does 5mg Melatonin Last? If you took a 5mg melatonin supplement, you could expect your body to break down 2.5mg of it within the first hour and 1.25mg by hour two. With a typical half-life of 40 to 60 minutes, you've likely cleared 5mg of melatonin from your system by hour five or six.
Over-the-counter melatonin may come in standard amounts like 1 milligram, 3 milligrams, or 5 milligrams. You can use a pill-cutter to cut the tablets in half or quarters to create a smaller starting dose.
The best time to take 3 a.m. melatonin is whenever you wake up in the middle of the night and have a difficult time going back to sleep. † For best results, take at least 3 hours before waking.
Anything over 10 mg for adults and 5 mg for children is too much melatonin. Taking too much melatonin can cause dizziness, headaches, and lethargy. It can also have a negative effect on your sleep cycle, leading to temporary or even permanent trouble sleeping.