MELATONIN AND ANXIETY
Discover the research and evidence on anxiety performance enhancement and melatonin.
Sleep problems can aggravate anxiety, and melatonin may help treat sleep issues. There is also some evidence that melatonin may help improve anxiety symptoms.
Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate circadian rhythms, which cause feelings of wakefulness and sleep. Production of melatonin takes place in the pineal gland of the brain.
Anxiety is a common mental disorder affecting up to 20%Trusted Source of adults yearly. It also affects 1 in 4 children aged 13–18 years.
This article considers the role of melatonin in relieving anxiety, its dosage, and whether it causes any adverse effects.
Melatonin is a hormone whose synthesis takes placeTrusted Source in the pineal gland. The cells of the pineal gland synthesize melatonin from the amino acid tryptophan.
The synthesis, as well as secretion of melatonin, mostly occurs in darkness during the night. In humans, the secretion peaks between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., then gradually decreases.
Melatonin helps regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycles and promote sleep. Recent research has indicated other uses of melatonin, including treating age-related cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disorders.
Several melatonin supplements are available for use in the United States. However, they do not haveTrusted Source the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval since the FDA does not regulate supplements.