Melatonin is a natural hormone made by your body's pineal gland located in the brain. It help with the sleep/wake cycle of the body. So when the sun is out pineal gland is inactive. When the sun goes down and darkness occurs, the pineal is "turned on" by the SCN and begins to actively produce melatonin.
When melatonin level is high you feel sleepy and less alert.
For me, only higher doses like 6mg have much effect. I tried 3mg time release, but I didn't like it because it made me feel sluggish in the morning, even though I may have slept well. Avoid prescription sleep meds unless nothing else works. I have also found that a glass of milk in the evening (not too late) in addition to melatonin seems to help.
Melatonin is a natural occurring hormone that is produced by the pineal gland found in the brain. Melatonin’s function can be triggered every time a person closes his or her eyes, because every time a person closes his or her eyes, the amount of light is decreased. The amount and how often melatonin is secreted into the blood determines a person’s internal body clock, which regulates the sleep and wake cycle.
You can have melatonin through natural sources as well. Here are some common foods that contain high amounts of melatonin.
Bananas
Radish
Grape Skins
Tart Cherries
Walnuts
Sunflower Seeds
Almonds
# Fruits, such as Apples, Oranges, Strawberries, Kiwi, and many more.
The Following User Says Thank You to claud883 For This Useful Post: Michelle Hulley (05-21-2012)
