Home›SLEEP›Melatonin

Melatonin

Evidence: ★★★★★ · Status: OTC Supplement, Prescription

💡 Did you know? Melatonin isn't a sedative — it's a darkness signal. Take it at the wrong hour and you shift your body clock the wrong way instead of sleeping better.

In plain English

The "it's night" hormone. It re-times your body clock, so it's best for jet lag and late sleep phase, not as a sledgehammer sedative. 0.5 mg works as well as 10 mg with less morning fog.

How it works

Pineal hormone binding MT1/MT2 receptors (MTNR1A/MTNR1B) in the suprachiasmatic nucleus — shifts the circadian clock rather than sedating. Most people massively overdose it.

Molecular target & official sources

MTNR1A melatonin receptor 1A (NCBI Gene) · Melatonin (PubChem CID 896)

Protocol

0.3–1 mg, 30–60 min before target sleep.

Bottom line

Overused at 10–20× the effective dose. Start at 0.5 mg.

Helps with: Sleep Better · Hormones & Testosterone

The human evidence

Meta-analyses show melatonin modestly shortens time-to-fall-asleep (a few minutes on average) and genuinely helps realign the body clock in jet lag and shift work. Better for timing sleep than for staying asleep; low doses (0.5–1 mg) work about as well as higher ones.

Stacks with

Magnesium and glycine for sleep onset.

Avoid combining with

Alcohol and other sedatives (additive drowsiness); don’t drive after. A low dose (0.5–1 mg) works better than the common 3–10 mg.

Availability & where to buy

Prescription only. Prescription-only — a doctor must prescribe it. Not sold over the counter. (In Singapore: HSA-regulated.) Cheap — ~S$10–20/month (note: pharmacist-only/behind-counter in some SG outlets).

Used in these protocols

Compare Melatonin

Common questions

Does Melatonin actually work?

Human-evidence rating: 5 of 5. Overused at 10–20× the effective dose. Start at 0.5 mg.

How do you take Melatonin?

0.3–1 mg, 30–60 min before target sleep.

Is Melatonin legal or approved?

Regulatory status: OTC Supplement, Prescription.