How Long Does It Take For 5mg Melatonin to Kick In? A typical melatonin dose is up to 5 mg and can take up to two hours to kick in. However, some people report melatonin working in as little as 20 minutes, which is why you'll want to get your bedtime routine started when you take your melatonin.
In fact, the half-life of melatonin is generally considered to be between 20 and 45 minutes. This means that a typical dose of melatonin will take, at most, about four hours to reach a level where it's no longer active in your system.
There is no official recommended melatonin dosage for adults, but a range of 1 to 5 milligrams generally appears to be effective. Adults can take melatonin a few hours before bed.
There is no official recommended maximum dose of melatonin for adults, but a range of 0.5 mg to 5 mg appears to be safe and effective. Generally speaking, most people produce enough melatonin to sleep well, but if you need a little extra to add to their sleep cycle, you probably don't need more than 3 mg.
One of the most common side effects of melatonin is drowsiness. Some people may notice that they feel sleepy or groggy the morning after taking melatonin. Taking melatonin earlier in the evening or reducing the dose may help a person wake up feeling refreshed.
Supplemental melatonin can cause grogginess, dizziness, and a number of other side effects—especially when it's taken in high amounts too close to bedtime. Taking it in smaller doses at least an hour before bed should help minimize these, though you still don't want to take the hormone for an extended period of time.
The morning after taking melatonin
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.
Taking too much melatonin can actually cause rebound insomnia —either rendering the supplement ineffective or worse, exacerbating your already sleepless nights further. You only need tiny doses of melatonin to support your natural sleep cycle.
Melatonin Dosage for Adults
There's still a lot to learn about the ideal dosage amounts for melatonin, but typical amounts are between 1 mg and 5 mg, with doses below 1 mg potentially being just as effective as higher doses.
It's readily available, and it's supposed to help you sleep . . . right? Sleep deprivation can make this logic seem sound, but experts say taking melatonin in the middle of the night can actually make your sleep schedule even worse.
Four to eight hours before your DLMO will make you feel sleepy earlier than usual. Research shows taking 5 mg of melatonin five hours before your DLMO can bring forward when your body starts producing its own melatonin by 1.5 hours, making it easier for you to fall asleep earlier.
Studies suggest doses of 0.5 mg to 5 mg of melatonin may help people with jet lag fall asleep faster, with 5 mg being more effective. But doses above 5 mg don't appear to be any more effective.
Melatonin is generally safe for most people, and many people won't experience major complications when taking too much. Even so, an overdose can cause unpleasant side effects. Keep your dose to no more than 1 to 3 mg per night.
“Less is more,” Buenaver says. Take 1 to 3 milligrams two hours before bedtime.
The current clinical consensus is that daily melatonin consumption is considered safe. However, according to a 2020 article published in Antioxidants, more research is needed to determine the correct dose and time and understand potential long-term effects.
Besides the positive effect on depressive symptoms, melatonin may also be used to treat anxiety, sleep and circadian disturbances. Melatonin has been recommended as the first-line treatment of patients aged over 55 years suffering from insomnia, parasomnia and circadian rhythm sleep disorders [44].
Melatonin does tend to have less risky potential side effects than certain prescription sleep aids, Grandner says, but he adds that “melatonin is not a good alternative to prescription sleep medications. It does not work as a sedative and it is ineffective in most cases of insomnia.”
For short-term sleep problems (insomnia) in adults
The usual dose is one 2mg slow release tablet taken 1 to 2 hours before bedtime. Sometimes your doctor will recommend that you only take melatonin 2 or 3 times a week to see if that improves your sleep first.
Stomach Problems Melatonin also causes stomach discomfort in some people. This may include cramps, nausea, and diarrhea. Dizziness Some people who take melatonin also report mild dizziness, lightheadedness, or vertigo. Irritability Too much melatonin can also affect mood.
Some studies suggest that it may also reduce certain types of anxiety. Melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone, helps regulate sleep and promote the healthy functioning of your body's internal clock. Some studies suggest that it may also reduce certain types of anxiety.
That may not sound like much, but there was a lot of individual variation, and researchers found that melatonin also improved overall sleep quality, including people's ability to wake up feeling refreshed.
Probably because you are getting all the dose at once; you could try a sustained release and see if that helps. The best way for you to get melatonin is allowing your body to make it.
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.