BLUF
Melatonin helps regulate sleep, reduce jet lag and slightly improve daytime sleep for shift workers, but is generally ineffective for chronic insomnia. Good sleep habits, including limiting evening screen exposure, remain important.Learning Outcomes
- Explain how melatonin regulates the sleep-wake cycle and describe the role of darkness, the hypothalamus, and the body’s internal clock in sleep regulation.
- Identify when melatonin supplements are effective and when they are not, including their use for jet lag, shift work, chronic insomnia, dementia, and other sleep-related conditions.
- Describe safe melatonin use and alternative sleep strategies, including common side effects, available formulations, and evidence-based sleep hygiene practices.
