Difficulty falling asleep, nocturnal or diurnal awakenings, sleep problems do not spare the French. So much so that food supplement manufacturers have seized the niche by offering a host of food supplements or specific plants. Among the plethoric offer, we find melatonin. With many variations.
Do you have trouble sleeping, but don’t want to resort to sleeping pills? Wise decision ! Apart from informed medical advice and in-depth sleep examinations, this is the worst reflex to adopt. Have you heard of melatonin?
What is melatonin used for? What benefits?
On the packaging boxes found in pharmacies or parapharmacies, the claims remain essentially the same. Melatonin relaxes, facilitates sleep, prevents nocturnal awakenings, etc. But what exactly is this substance? It is the sleep hormone. Normally, it is naturally secreted by the brain to indicate to it that the body is tired and that it is necessary to lie down. But if sleep is disturbed for various reasons, it is possible to mimic this secretion with capsules or tablets. It has long been recommended to all those who travel a lot and suffer from jet lag. But with the resurgence of sleep disorders among the French and in particular during periods of confinement, it has been invited in force on the shelves of specialized shops. “The advantage being that it is rather well tolerated and does not cause addiction”emphasizes Dr. Patrick Lemoine.
How to choose melatonin?
To find one’s way, one must distinguish three types of products.
- For travellers, and particularly those who travel to the East (China for example) the simple melatonin enough. She will set the record straight and restore a normal sleep pattern. It can in some cases be administered to teenagers who are too restless, who spend time on screens. But only for a short period, the time to restore sleep. No way to make it a habit. And it is more prudent to speak to your doctor in case of doubt.
- For insomnia, difficulty falling asleep or nocturnal awakenings, it is better to opt for extended-release melatonin. Its main effect is to lower body temperature, a condition sinequanone to promote good sleep.
- There is also a new category of melatonin: delayed-release melatonin. It is intended for people who wake up much too early. “If you take it around 11 p.m., it begins to act around 3 or 4 a.m., and allows you not to wake up in great shape around 5 a.m., but to have a full and restorative night”, explains the doctor.
At the conditioning level, there is tabletsbut for some time, we find sprays to spray under the tongue. “The advantage is that unlike tablets, the vaporized product will pass first through the brain and not through the liver. Because the latter, by transforming and filtering everything that is absorbed, risks destroying part of the amount ingested. So this solution makes the product more effective”according to Dr. Lemoine. Whatever the type of sleep disorder encountered, this solution is much more interesting than medication.
Melatonin: precautions and risks
Caution, however. In 2018, the National Agency for the Safety and Evaluation of Health Products (ANSES) pointed out some side effects such as headaches or disturbances such as nausea or vomiting. Also, in case of health problem, seek the advice of your doctor before resorting to it. If you do not suffer from any illness, the specialist advises testing these products for a few days to check that they are not causing you any particular concerns.
Thanks to Dr. Patrick Lemoine Psychiatrist and author of “Dr I hurt my sleep”, Editions Odile Jacob.
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