If you’ve been turning to melatonin to fix your sleepless nights, you may want to pause before popping your next dose. The hormone can be helpful – but only when used correctly. Wrong timing or excessive amounts can do the opposite of what you intend, disrupting your sleep cycle instead of supporting it.
Not following the correct instruction while using melatonin can actually backfire!(Unsplash)
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Dr Kunal Sood, an anesthesiologist and interventional pain medicine physician, has explained how overusing melatonin can easily backfire – and highlights why getting the dosage right is essential. In an Instagram video posted on November 23, the physician states, “Melatonin is a timing signal, not a sedative. When the dose is excessive or poorly timed, it can disrupt the very rhythm it is supposed to support.”
Next day grogginess
Dr Sood highlights that timing and dosage is very important when it comes to melatonin supplementation, because poorly timed intake or large doses can signal the brain to sleep just when it should be waking up. He explains, “Large or late doses extend melatonin’s action into the morning, causing slowed alertness or a ‘sleep hangover’. The hormone continues signaling the brain to wind down instead of wake up.”
Vivid dreams
Dr Sood notes that taking melatonin in high doses may trigger vivid dreams and disrupt your sleep by causing more fragmented sleep patterns. He explains, “High doses can intensify REM sleep or fragment sleep cycles, making dreams more vivid and more frequently recalled. This fragmented pattern also worsens morning fatigue.”
Rhythm disruption
The doctor explains that melatonin shifts the body’s circadian clock, which makes proper dosing essential – and when it comes to melatonin, less is always more. He explains, “Doses above one mg are metabolised more slowly and can spill into the wrong phase of the sleep-wake cycle. Reviews recommend low doses because high ones increase wake time and reduce overall efficacy.”
Unpredictable supplement dosing
Dr Sood notes that many over-the-counter melatonin supplements contain far higher doses than their labels suggest, increasing the risk of accidental overshooting – resulting in side effects such as grogginess and disrupted sleep.
Why does less often work better?
The doctor notes that sleep experts recommend starting with 0.5 to 1 mg of melatonin, as taking higher doses rarely improves sleep and can actually backfire. He explains, “Lower doses support sleep onset without blunting morning alertness. Higher doses do not improve sleep and are more likely to cause grogginess, vivid dreams, or clock disruption.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.