The orchestration of sleep is a delicate biological and hormonal process. The conductor of this orchestra is the pineal gland, deep inside the brain and behind the eyes, often referred to as the “third eye”. This is the master gland which produces melatonin from the amino acid tryptophan. Melatonin is a multipurpose hormone which
- Enhances our immuno-protective system by increasing immune functioning
- Lowers heart rate and blood pressure
- Lowers stress by shutting off the body’s stress response;
- Regulates female menstrual hormones;
- And, last but not least, regulates the sleep-wake cycle
Part of melatonin’s important role in sleep is to sense the light and dark cycles which underlie our circadian rhythms. Simply put, as light comes into the eye, the body senses it’s time to wake up. Conversely, as it becomes dark outside, the body’s natural rhythms slow down and we become sleepy. The onset of becoming sleepy and going down into sleep is controlled by an increase in melatonin production when the pineal gland senses melatonin is low. Melatonin levels begin to rise in the evening, stay elevated during the night and decline in the morning.
Unfortunately, melatonin decreases with age, and the potency of the melatonin we retain is not as powerful in older people as in younger people. This creates a double whammy for good sleep in middle age and definitely in the elderly. Surprisingly, the peak of melatonin production is at age five, and by age sixty we have lost 80% of the melatonin that we had at that peak age.
This declining melatonin production may lead to the use of melatonin, or it’s precursor 5-HTP, as a supplement. Side effects of melatonin in the general population occur no more often than placebo. If well tolerated, melatonin is a relatively safe supplement for both short-term and long-term use, according to WebMD and other reference sites. For some, it creates symptoms that are hard to tolerate. Among these can be fatigue, headache, irritability and dizziness.
Although not regulated by the FDA (like other supplements), a cautionary note is sounded for pregnant women, individuals with diabetes or seizure disorders, and those with serious mental health issues such as depression or psychotic episodes. Those on blood thinners should also be wary of melatonin.
Melatonin is a single piece of what are many factors that influence sleep, but one with such crucial importance in regulating the sleep-wake cycle that it bears exploring.
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