Melatonin is best known as the hormone that helps regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycle. But because it also plays a role in the body’s internal clock, researchers have been studying whether melatonin supplements may have benefits beyond helping you fall asleep – from migraines to helping with jet lag.
Migraine Prevention
The relationship between sleep and migraines is a little more complicated than simply saying “poor sleep causes migraines.” A migraine can make it difficult to sleep, while disrupted or irregular sleep may lower the brain’s threshold for triggering a migraine.
That connection is one reason melatonin is being studied for migraine prevention. Melatonin is not only involved in regulating the body’s circadian clock, but also has effects on pain pathways and inflammation, so researchers are investigating whether those properties may have a more direct role in preventing migraines. Early research is promising, with multiple clinical trials finding that melatonin helped reduce the frequency and duration of migraine attacks.
Jet lag
This is one area where melatonin has fairly strong evidence behind it. When you travel across time zones, your internal clock can become misaligned with the local day-night cycle. Taking melatonin at the appropriate time can help reset that clock and reduce jet lag. It can also be helpful for people who work overnight shifts.
Because timing is important, taking melatonin at the wrong time can actually work against the goal of adjusting your body clock. Taking it about an hour before you want to go to sleep is a good general rule of thumb.
Anxiety before a medical procedure
Feeling anxious before surgery or another medical procedure is common, and melatonin has been studied as a possible alternative to traditional anti-anxiety medications. Analysis of multiple studies found some evidence that melatonin can reduce anxiety before surgery compared with a placebo. Its effect appears similar to some commonly used benzodiazepines.
Blood pressure management
This connection is less clear, so shouldn’t be considered as a treatment option for people with high blood pressure. Some studies suggest melatonin may modestly lower blood pressure, particularly nighttime blood pressure. But results have been inconsistent. Another review of 28 randomized trials found a small reduction in daytime diastolic blood pressure but no significant effect on systolic blood pressure.
The bottom line: Melatonin may have benefits beyond sleep, but the strength of the evidence varies. If you struggle with sleep, or any of these issues, talk with your doctor to see if melatonin supplements (including what dose!) might help.