Melatonin

function of melatonin

Melatonin is a chemical that the body creates and secretes. It regulates the nighttime rhythms, which include daytime sleep and wakefulness.

During the evening and night, when darkness prevails, the body naturally produces higher levels of melatonin, a hormone that signals the brain to prepare for sleep. This increase in melatonin secretion helps regulate our sleep-wake cycle and promotes a sense of relaxation and drowsiness.

 However, exposure to light, especially bright or blue light, can hinder melatonin synthesis and disrupt this natural process, making it more difficult to fall asleep. Insufficient melatonin levels can present a challenging circumstance for individuals struggling with sleep difficulties.

 Factors such as excessive artificial light exposure, irregular sleep schedules, and certain medical conditions can contribute to lower melatonin production, leading to disrupted sleep patterns. 

Managing exposure to light, adopting healthy sleep habits, and considering melatonin supplements under medical guidance can be potential approaches to address inadequate melatonin levels and promote better sleep.

Melatonin synthesis's effects on sleep

When it is dark outside at night. your pineal gland generates the most melatonin; when it is bright outside and during the day, it produces less. You have low amounts of melatonin in your blood as a result of low levels of melatonin production during the day and peak levels at night. And the longer your night, the more melatonin your pineal gland generates.

Melatonin is often referred to as the "sleep hormone" due to its role in regulating the sleep-wake cycle. While it is not essential for sleep itself, higher levels of melatonin in the body can contribute to better sleep quality.

 Melatonin helps to synchronize the body's internal clock, signalling to the brain that it is time to sleep and promoting feelings of drowsiness and relaxation. By increasing the duration and depth of sleep, melatonin can enhance overall sleep quality and contribute to a more restful night's rest. While other factors such as sleep environment, lifestyle habits, and overall health also influence sleep, adequate levels of melatonin are important for supporting optimal sleep patterns.

As our pineal gland receives information about the daily routine of light and dark it means the day and night cycle from the retinas in your eyes and then produces and releases melatonin accordingly, people with blindness who unfortunately can’t detect light usually have irregularly synchronized melatonin cycles leading to the problems of circadian rhythm disorders.

Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes it's not the same for each one that follows a 24-hour cycle.

Circadian rhythms promote quality sleep and good health these natural processes respond primarily to light and dark and affect most living things, including animals, plants, and microbes. One example of a light-related circadian rhythm is part of the body's internal clock, which is sleeping at night and being awake during the day. 

Make sure you get 20 minutes or more a day of direct sunlight. Daily exposure to natural sunlight is advised; the ideal time is in the morning. Your body's circadian cycles are regulated by exposure to natural light throughout the day, which helps it produce more melatonin at night.

Turning off all the lights at bedtime may improve health.  make it Dim or switch off LED lights in the evening. LED Light Bulbs are less electricity than traditional incandescent light bulbs so people like to use them.

But, they emit more blue light, which suppresses your body's normal production of melatonin. Opt for traditional fluorescent bulbs, which emit blue light very little, or blue light-free bulbs intended to increase melatonin levels.*