So far the indications for melanin have been very varied. Today doctors specify its indications and recommend it in sleep disorders, hyperactivity and autism.
A “natural” method to treat insomnia? Melatonin. This hormone is secreted by the brain when the light goes down: it signals to the brain that it is time to go to sleep. For several years, its consumption has increased in France, in particular through food supplements. During the Sleep Congress which took place in Marseille in November, researchers agreed on the indications and uses of this hormone.
Melatonin has advantages in the treatment of insomnia or sleep disorders in general. It does not cause the side effects caused by benzodiazepines, widely prescribed in this kind of situation. Among these side effects, we must mention hallucinations, memory loss and especially the risk of dependence.
The doctors gathered at this congress do not recommend the use of melatonin as a food supplement, because it is too poorly supervised and you never know what you are absorbing. On the contrary, they advise to take it in medicinal form and to vary the doses according to the type of insomnia.
An effective hormone also in autism
Melatonin should not be given to children under one year of age. It can be used in the treatment of disorders and deficits in attention or hyperactivity, which are associated with a sleep disorder.
For autism, its use is also recommended because it improves the total time of sleep and the latency of falling asleep.
Melatonin appears according to this group of researchers as an interesting treatment because it is well tolerated.
.
