The Best Melatonin Supplement in 2024 (Reviewed & Compared)

Catch More Zzzs with Melatonin Supplement

January 21, 2022

The decade we’ve just slipped into guarantees us fast-changing technology, new knowledge and discoveries, and an even more accelerated lifestyle. While we’re on the path of fast living, insomnia comes along the way to impose a massive toll. If you’re seeking a wholesome sleep aid to help you along the way, you’ll be needing the best melatonin supplement out there. 

However, the bulk of melatonin-based products out there don’t meet the requirements needed to help you sleep restfully and wake up refreshed. For that purpose, we’ve done our due diligence and created a detailed ranking methodology that analyzes the most important qualities of melatonin supplements.

The Best Melatonin Supplement: Our Top 11 Picks

We aim to review the best sleep-related products on the market. If you make a purchase through one of the links on our site, we may earn a commission. Read our full Affiliate Disclosure.

Company
Features
Overall Score
Best Melatonin Supplement - Performance Lab logo
Editor's Pick
Performance Lab
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    Increases natural melatonin secretion

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    Offers body relaxation

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    GMP-certified

Best Melatonin Supplement - Utzy logo
Best Value
Utzy Naturals
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    Low-dose melatonin supplement

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    Dose-titration options

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    Supreme quality

Best Melatonin Supplement - Onnit logo
Best Melatonin Spray
Onnit
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    Fast absorption

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    Quick onset

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    Dose-titration options

Best Melatonin Supplement - Zarbee's Naturals logo
Best for Children and Teens
Zarbee’s Naturals
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    Suitable for children over 3

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    Natural flavors

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    Optimal dosing option

Best Melatonin Supplement - Vitafusion logo
Best for Anxiety
Vitafusion
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    Suitable for anxiety-related insomnia

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    Powerful sleep inducer

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    Easy to use

Best Melatonin Supplement - Natrol logo
Best Liquid Melatonin
Natrol
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    Fast-acting

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    Dose-titration options

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    Great taste

Best Melatonin Supplement - Nature Made logo
Best Quality
Nature Made
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    Optimal dose

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    United States Pharmacopeia (USP) verified

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    Supreme quality

Best Melatonin Supplement - Now Foods Logo
Best Melatonin Lozenges
NOW Foods
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    Fast acting

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    Optimal dosing option

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    Gluten-free

Best Melatonin Supplement - Life Extension logo
Best Cheap Melatonin
Life Extension
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    Optimal dose

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    Long lasting

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    Few additional ingredients

Best Melatonin Supplement - Physician's Choice logo
Best for Stress
Physician’s Choice
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    Sedative properties

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    Dose-titration options

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    3rd-party tested for purity

Best Melatonin Supplement - Puritan's Pride logo
Most Potent
Puritan’s Pride
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    Fast-acting

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    High quality

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    Gluten-free

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    Suitable for vegetarians

The Best Rated Melatonin Product Reviews

Here, we’ll be looking at short yet informative reviews of melatonin supplements to help with sleep. After reading through these, you’ll easily decide which product is right for you. 

Performance Lab’s Sleep Review

Best Melatonin Supplement - Performance Lab
  • Editor's Pick

  • Type: Vegetarian capsules

  • Free worldwide shipping

  • Price: $39.00

PROS :
  • Plant-based melatonin

  • Increases natural melatonin secretion

  • Offers body relaxation

CONS :
  • No dose-titration options

The experts at Performance Lab showed us that we should step out of our comfort zone and include the best natural sleep aid without melatonin—without conventional melatonin, that is.

Each of the 30 capsules in the pack is stacked with 500mg of the purest Montmorency tart cherry extract, which provides a whole lot of natural melatonin. Additionally, it influences the release of our natural melatonin from the pineal gland thanks to its 250mg of tryptophan. The product also contains 100mg of organic magnesium for muscle relaxation.

PL’s Sleep is suitable for all those trying to avoid synthetic melatonin, as well as for those with burnout-induced insomnia. This best natural melatonin supplement will relax you and induce natural sleep, while leaving you refreshed and rested in the morning.

In addition to its all-natural policy, this product satisfies high standards of purity, as well as GMP requirements. Their substance choice is unique and patented—all that just to provide us with an extremely useful melatonin product.

Utzy Naturals’ Micro Melatonin Review

Best Melatonin Supplement - Utzy Naturals
  • Best Value

  • Type: Small tablets

  • Free shipping

  • 10% off with auto-delivery

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

  • Price: $9.95

Rating 9.8

Get the Best Deal
PROS :
  • Low-dose supplement

  • Dose-titration options

  • Supreme quality

CONS :
  • Not for stress-related insomnia

“Less is more” is right. With Micro Melatonin, you can safely choose your optimal dosage without worrying about the consequences.

The experts at Utzy Naturals created the best over the counter melatonin by fusing high quality standards with optimal product formulation. In other words, it’s pure, safe, and very effective.

Each of the 90 easy-to-swallow tablets in the bottle contains 0.25mg of melatonin. In addition, they contain 100mg of tart cherry extract, which is the most abundant natural source of melatonin.

The gentle dosing options make this product suitable for both primary and secondary insomnia, with the potential for drug-drug interaction minimized. It’s the right choice for circadian rhythm disorders, as well as for chronic sleeplessness. 

We’ve rated these tablets as the best melatonin for adults thanks to their excellent taste and the fact that the product is adaptable to any age and health profile. And last but not least, Utzy’s customer support and discount options guarantee reliability.

Onnit’s Instant Melatonin Spray Review

Best Melatonin Supplement - Onnit
  • Best Melatonin Spray

  • Type: Sublingual spray

  • 15% off with subscription

  • Additional discount on a twin-pack purchase

  • Price: $12.95

Rating 9.9

Get the Best Deal
PROS :
  • Fast absorption

  • Quick onset

  • Dose-titration options

CONS :
  • Not for children

Melatonin spray reviews should always include this top product from Onnit. In addition to being a prominent health and fitness company, Onnit has created a practical, easy, on-the-go sleep aid that works in your bed as much as on an airplane. 

Is it unusual for a spray product to beat tablets in the race for quality and effectiveness? Not at all, because we place overall benefits above standard convenience.

We consider it the best melatonin for sleep because it covers everything: quality, dosage, formulation, and safety, and above all, it’s multi-purpose.

Onnit’s Instant Melatonin Spray has higher absorption rates compared to conventional over-the-counter products. This means that it acts faster than any other, which is convenient both for those struggling with chronic insomnia, as well as for jet lag.

A single spray dose (0.16ml) has 0.5mg of melatonin, which can be enough for some mild cases of insomnia. What’s more, you can safely increase the dose by applying several sprays according to your needs. By using the recommended serving of 6 sprays, this top-rated melatonin product will probably knock you out with 3mg of fast-acting melatonin.

The product is thoroughly peer reviewed, and it comes in mint and lavender flavors.

Zarbee’s Naturals’ Children’s Sleep Liquid with Melatonin Review

Best Melatonin Supplement - Zarbee's Naturals
  • Best for Children and Teens

  • Type: Oral liquid drops

  • 15% off with subscription

  • Price: $8.65

Rating 9.9

Get the Best Deal
PROS :
  • Suitable for children over 3

  • Natural flavors

  • Optimal dosing option

CONS :
  • Not the best option for adults

Zarbee’s Naturals somehow always finds its way onto our top 10 lists. And this time, they’ve done it with drops.

What is the best brand of melatonin for children? Every drop of Children’s Sleep Liquid has 1mg of delicious, fast-absorbing melatonin designed for children older than three. This cherry-flavored product has no allergens, GMOs, or additional additives that might produce a negative reaction. 

The drops are best used 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime and are suitable for late-phase sleep disorder in children, as well as for developmental sleeplessness.

Zarbee’s Naturals is a top-rated melatonin brand, as the company oversees its sustainable manufacturing process carefully. Zarbee’s tends to the quality of every extract that reaches its consumers. The Children’s Sleep Liquid with Melatonin is a non-habit forming, light-dose product that can be used continuously or when needed.

Vitafusion’s Sleep Well Gummies Review

Best Melatonin Supplement - Vitafusion
  • Best for Anxiety

  • Type: Gummies

  • Save with bundle purchases

  • Price: $28.49

Rating 9.8

Get the Best Deal
PROS :
  • Suitable for anxiety-related insomnia

  • Powerful sleep inducer

  • Suitable for frequent flyers

CONS :
  • Not for those allergic to nuts

Vitafusion always has supplements for several health problems, and this time we’ve rated their best melatonin gummies for adults.

It is the age of edibles, supplement-wise, people nowadays clearly prefer chewing their meds over swallowing them. This is where Sleep Well Gummies with melatonin come in handy.

Every serving (2 gummies) has an optimal dose of 3mg of melatonin, infused with a powerful sedative combination. The passionflower and lemon balm extracts act as sleep inducers, while chamomile relaxes and soothes muscles, thereby aiding in whole-body relaxation. 

This fast-acting product is GMO- and sugar-free and specially designed for people who travel. Indeed, Vitafusion’s best melatonin gummies are our choice for frequent flyers, as they provide swift relaxation without drowsiness.

Given its sedative properties, Sleep Well Gummies are a smart choice for all types of mild anxiety-related insomnia. And above all, these 30-gummy bottles come at a reasonable price.

Natrol’s Melatonin Liquid Review

Best Melatonin Supplement - Natrol
  • Best Liquid Melatonin

  • Type: Oral liquid

  • 15% off with subscription

  • Price: $6.99

Rating 9.6

Get the Best Deal
PROS :
  • Fast-acting

  • Dose-titration options

  • Delicious taste

CONS :
  • Only for light insomnia

Is all melatonin the same? Not by a long shot! Just go ahead and try the best melatonin on the market in syrup form.

The experts at Natrol strive to impose their mission on the world of wellness: accountability, commitment, integrity, and professionalism. They do so by providing us with high-quality products, renowned for their purity.

Their Melatonin Liquid is a berry-vanilla flavored product with natural ingredients. In every teaspoon of the syrup, you get an allergen- and additive-free dose of 1.25mg of melatonin.

The unique formulation makes it highly absorbable and fast-acting. And what’s more, the teaspoon-dosing system makes it easy to safely dose up or down according to your needs.

The best time to take melatonin for sleep in liquid form is 15–30 minutes before bedtime, as it acts quickly. This product is suitable for those who dislike swallowing solid dosage forms, such as capsules or tablets. It can aid in both acute and chronic insomnia.

Best of all, this delicious choice comes at a very affordable price.

Nature Made’s Melatonin Review

Best Melatonin Supplement - Nature Made
  • Best Quality

  • Type: Small tablets

  • 25% off with coupons

  • Price: $10.29

Rating 9.5

Get the Best Deal
PROS :
  • Optimal dose of melatonin

  • United States Pharmacopeia (USP) verified

  • Supreme quality

CONS :
  • Adults only

It’s hard to complete the best melatonin supplement review without addressing an optimal-dose, well-priced, large-pack product. That’s why we have Nature Made’s Melatonin in our top 10.

The whole pack has a total of 240 small tablets, with 3mg of pure melatonin in each one. This product can promise you a year of uninterrupted sleep, and it’s a bargain, too.

Nature Made’s experts are committed to deep research and high-quality manufacturing. Their every product is pharmaceutically verified and clinically tested for effectiveness, which slams the stamp of confidence onto the brand. And the interesting thing is that they’ve been doing it for more than 40 years now.   

This product ranks high in all Nature Made melatonin reviews, and for good reason: it provides you with an optimal, slow-releasing dose of melatonin for the whole night. These small tablets are suitable for a long flight to prevent jet lag, as well as for long-term insomnia treatment.

NOW Foods Melatonin Lozenges Review

Best Melatonin Supplement - NOW Foods
  • Best Melatonin Lozenges

  • Type: Chewable lozenges

  • Free shipping for orders over $50

  • Price: $11.99

PROS :
  • Fast acting

  • Optimal dosing option

  • Gluten-free

CONS :
  • Adults only

NOW Foods is a well-known brand offering a wide variety of supplements. So if you’re looking for the best melatonin supplement to help you stay asleep but don’t want to swallow pills or tablets, its melatonin lozenges might be a perfect solution. Each lozenge contains 3 mg of melatonin, which is an optimal dose for most adults. However, if you need a weaker dose, NOW Foods also offers tablets that contain 1 mg of melatonin. Also, for a higher dose of melatonin, you can opt for veg capsules of either 5 mg or 10 mg.

This sleep aid is one of the best quality melatonin products and a great option for people who don’t like swallowing meds. If you can’t wait for them to dissolve, it’s good to know they’re also chewable.

However, this melatonin supplement isn’t safe for pregnant or nursing women. In case you’re worried about allergies, keep in mind this product doesn’t contain any common allergens, such as milk, fish, shellfish, and tree nuts. Also, it’s gluten-free.

Life Extension’s Melatonin Review

Best Melatonin Supplement - Life Extension
  • Best Cheap Melatonin

  • Type: Vegetarian capsules

  • Free shipping and 15% discount with larger purchases

  • Price: $6.00

Rating 9.7

Get the Best Deal
PROS :
  • Optimal dose of melatonin

  • Long lasting

  • Few additional ingredients

CONS :
  • Results lessen over time

Of the many choices out there, finding which melatonin is best for you requires more than just analyzing the products’ features. It also includes determining what products serve people best.

And what better than a standard-serving melatonin supplement? Life Extension’s Melatonin provides 3mg of pure melatonin in every capsule. What’s more, this is a dual-release melatonin product.

As it contains the most universally recommended dose of melatonin, it’s suitable for the majority of people who have mild to moderate chronic insomnia. The dosing properties are compliant and make this product the best brand of melatonin to buy and use in the long term.

Life Extension uses high-quality manufacturing facilities to provide us with one of the purest products on the market.

Each of the time-release melatonin capsules guarantees six hours of melatonin activity, making it suitable for all ages of adults in the long-term.

Physician’s Choice’s Natural Sleep Aid Review

Best Melatonin Supplement - Physician's Choice
  • Best for Stress

  • Type: Vegetable capsules

  • 15% off with subscription

  • Price: $21.99

Rating 9.6

Get the Best Deal
PROS :
  • Suitable for stress-related insomnia

  • Sedative properties

  • Dose-titration options

CONS :
  • Morning drowsiness

Although melatonin-only products rate best on this list, it’s time to introduce the best brand with melatonin and L-theanine. And for a good reason—it works perfectly.

The folks at Physician’s Choice concocted a unique, high-quality melatonin product for adults that changes the game in terms of insomnia treatment. Furthermore, this product is clinically tested and produced in FDA-approved facilities.

Each of the 30 capsules in the pack contains 2mg of Vitamin B6, which aids natural melatonin production, coupled with 100mg of chamomile and valerian extracts each, to provide you with smooth relaxation and relief. Furthermore, each serving has a high dose of 5mg of melatonin. 

Physician’s Choice’s Natural Sleep Aid is among the best-quality melatonin-based products with relaxing properties on the market. It’s suitable for stress-related insomnia, as well as for long flights.

Given that it’s a slow-release melatonin product, it’s best used 30–60 minutes before bedtime. After that, you can expect to rest deeply for at least 6–7 hours, with no interruptions.

Puritan’s Pride Extra Strength Melatonin Review

Best Melatonin Supplement - Puritan's Pride
  • Most Potent

  • Type: Rapid-release capsules

  • Free shipping

  • Buy 1 get 1 free

  • Price: $12.99

Rating 9.9

Get the Best Deal
PROS :
  • Highest potency

  • Fast-acting

  • High quality

CONS :
  • Morning drowsiness

If you have long-term sleeping problems or have difficulty falling and then remaining asleep, Puritan’s Pride’s high-quality melatonin is bound to deliver a great rest.

Not all melatonin benefits can be experienced by using low-dose products. In order to completely restore your circadian clock, fully rest, and regenerate, you’ll need more than a few milligrams.

Each of the 120 fast-dissolving capsules in PP’s Extra Strength Melatonin contains 10 mg of melatonin, which will provide you with more than just a few zzzs. This product is manufactured under excellent standards and will safely deliver its full potency every night.

Nearly the best melatonin brand, Puritan’s Pride promises more than just a few quality statements. Products are tested more than 15 times over the manufacturing process, and they are vegan-suitable, GMO-free, and third-party tested.  

This is one of the rarest products that can alleviate the symptoms of insomnia caused by a circadian rhythm disorder. It’s also suitable for shift workers or long flights.

Picking the Best Melatonin Supplement

– Our Ranking Methodology –

Back in the 1990s, if you were to ask a pharmacist for a sleep aid, chances are that you’d get a valerian root combo (slim chances, really) or a recommendation to see a physician. But it isn’t the pharmacist’s fault that you didn’t get anything better—after all, this was still the era of hard drugs! Even issues with light insomnia were resolved with a dose of Valium.

At the beginning of the 21st century, the nutritional value of substances played a more prominent role in both the procurement and maintenance of human health. Thus, the world witnessed the rise of melatonin brands. 

Nowadays, with so many options, picking the best melatonin supplement for sleep is more of a pickle. Since the early 2000s, the melatonin market has been recording serious growth. It’s still on the rise, as pharmacies and online retailers stock up on melatonin-based products. However, only a handful of these will deliver what’s promised on the label.

To save you from searching through a decade’s worth of data, we’ve comprised a unique ranking methodology that analyzes all the required qualities in this product. In short, when deciding what the best melatonin to buy is, we ask more than a few vital questions:

What’s In It?

Not all sleeping supplements are created equal. To choose which melatonin option is the best, we assess the whole composition declared by the manufacturer.

When doing a review, the potency of the product is of the utmost importance, but “the more, the merrier” does not necessarily apply. We estimate the value of the given doses for the age groups and insomnia types the product is intended for. There are no one-size-fits-all solutions. 

Furthermore, the type of melatonin used is thoroughly considered. The highest-rated melatonin products are actually synthetic melatonin brands. However, among them, some provide natural melatonin in the form of tart cherry extract, which is a rich natural source.

Although our reviews have targeted melatonin-only products, we allowed some of the herbally amplified ones to enter. Additional substances can be helpful when treating secondary insomnia, including the types induced by stress or anxiety.

How Does it Deliver?

Melatonin is an effective sleep-inducing substance, but this doesn’t mean that every product containing it will deliver a restful night. Even the strongest melatonin products can backslide in efficacy. And here’s the tricky part: not all formulations deliver the substance equally.

In order to work, an adequate dose must be coupled with the optimal delivery system. In other words, both gummies and tablets have their pros and cons. For example, extended-release melatonin is better for people who experience prolonged sleeplessness while the fast-acting ones work better when you’re jet-lagged for a couple of hours.

Appraising the effectiveness of supplements is therefore based on how much bioactive melatonin they’re capable of delivering.

Is It of the Highest Quality?

You can have “Best time-release melatonin” written on the box, but without a quality certificate, that is just a pretty sentence.

Generally, supplements are not FDA-regulated. In other words, the quality-production criteria are not a legal obligation, but a manufacturer’s choice. While seeking high-quality melatonin products, we seek out Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) references, third-party testing, and high-standard facility production. 

In other words, a product of quality guarantees the declared content of each dose you take. A product without a quality certificate has no guarantees. 

Is It Safe?

The best brand of melatonin has to be safe as well as effective. We calculate the given dose according to the age group and establish a safety profile. In other words, safe melatonin brands are well tolerated when used appropriately and are less likely to result in an overdose when misused.

Is It Expensive?

Most manufacturers buy melatonin in bulk at $0.00013 per mg, so there’s no reason to include an overly expensive product on our list. Other ingredients, packaging, manufacturing quality, formulation, and dosage can build up a price a bit, but that’s it.

How to Choose the Best Melatonin Supplement

– Buyer’s Guide –

Sleep is essential for functioning healthily, as it resets the brain and regenerates the body. Insomnia can enhance pain, crash your appetite, and impose unbearable mood changes. 

Primary insomnia is caused by stress or poor lifestyle choices, such as substance abuse or the excessive use of caffeine and nicotine. Secondary insomnia is generally a consequence of another illness (depression, anxiety, ADHD) or medication (antiepileptics, antidepressants, etc.).

As symptoms progress, the impairment can be mild, moderate, or severe. The best melatonin pills can help with mild to moderate insomnia (primary and secondary). Severe cases are treated with sedative-hypnotics, which are prescription sleeping pills

However, high doses of melatonin have been proven effective with severe primary insomnia, combined with behavioral therapy.

What Is Melatonin?

Generally speaking, melatonin is a biorhythm hormone found in all living creatures. There is substantial evidence supporting the claim that melatonin plays an essential physiological role in mammals, birds, fish, insects, and even in plants and algae. In short, it’s a molecule that facilitates the evolutionary adaptation of all living things to the essential determinants of life: light and darkness.

Although seemingly obscure, learning how to use melatonin in your favor is directly relatable to its basic biological functions.

Namely, every living being undergoes periodical rhythms, such as circadian rhythm (daily), seasonal rhythm (periodically), and annual rhythm. Striking for survival, their biology has developed control mechanisms that adapt to the changing environment. In humans, melatonin is the key daily rhythm-regulating hormone.

Our body absorbs light signals through the retina of the eye and the skin. Depending on the signal, the pineal gland uses amino-acid tryptophan to create either serotonin during the day or melatonin during the night.

How Does Melatonin Work?

By downregulating a series of brain functions, it puts your body in a state of tranquility and physiological regeneration. Melatonin does not sedate you, nor does it have hypnotic properties. It simply promotes natural sleep. 

Melatonin dysfunction causes sleep disturbances, especially in modern-day living. Artificial lights induce wakefulness during the night. Additionally, stimuli, such as cell-phone glances, excessive music, and city noise, can cause you to stay up all night.

In healthy people, melatonin acts gently and lasts until morning, when other regulatory hormones take over.

The Effects of Melatonin on the Body

Regardless of what the best form of a melatonin product is for an individual, it will always signal the body to induce the regulatory night-cycle mechanism. There are several mechanisms by which melatonin affects the body:

The Circadian Rhythm 

There are two types of melatonin receptors, MT1 and MT2. Both of them are highly prevalent in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the brain, which acts as a primary sleep-wake regulator. According to the research, when it’s dark, and the melatonin concentration rises, it binds to the MT1, thus changing the internal clock. In other words, via MT1, melatonin switches the lights off, promoting the metabolic state of sleepiness. `

The best melatonin dose is the one that fully saturates these types of receptors. By altering the circadian clock, this hormone not only promotes sleep but also triggers regenerative activity. 

Nevertheless, the evidence states that acting only on MT1 might not be enough to induce sleep.

Sleep Effects

Recent studies on the melatonin-sleep causality suggest that only when melatonin reaches its plasma peaks (at around 3 or 4 a.m.) will it saturate the other receptor type, MT2, thus promoting quality sleep. In concurrence with most other melatonin reviews, the overall effects of melatonin on sleep depend on both MT1 and MT2 activity. Therefore, melatonin’s sleep-inducing potency is proportionate to its concentration.

Reproductive Hormones 

MT1 and MT2 are abundantly found in different tissues, and by acting on them, melatonin influences reproductive hormones. This means that melatonin can be considered a sort of contraception and isn’t recommended in pregnant women. However, its use is beneficial in polycystic ovary syndrome as an ovulation stimulator. 

It’s presumed that these effects happen due to melatonin’s impact on both pituitary hormones and on blood-glucose levels. 

Antioxidant Properties

Even as you take the best melatonin dose for sleep, you’re bound to discover some extra benefits. Several studies confirm that it could be an even more effective free radical scavenger than vitamin E and vitamin C.

Other Uses 

Melatonin is used in the elderly to compensate for the fact that its levels naturally decline as people age and as prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease. 

There’s also data supporting the use of melatonin in cancer prevention.

The Benefits of Melatonin for Insomnia

If you’re looking for a natural solution to your sleep problems, melatonin should be your first stop. Its smooth effects help both healthy people and those with medical conditions.

The best quality melatonin supplement reduces one’s onset of sleep by 12–15 minutes. Additionally, it can induce deep sleep, therefore improving your overall sleep quality.

Melatonin is effective for the following concerns:

  • Mild to moderate insomnia
  • Sleep deprivation associated with third-shift work
  • Sleep problems related to high blood pressure
  • Sleeplessness in children with ADHD, autism, and other developmental issues
  • Wakefulness associated with menopause
  • Restless legs syndrome
  • Time-zone sleep syndrome (jet lag)
  • Reduced sleep quality (low REM and NREM sleep)
  • Circadian rhythm disorders
  • Insomnia induced by mental health issues

Types of Melatonin Products

Before choosing the best melatonin brand for sleep, you should also consider the different types of melatonin products. By doing so, you are not only picking between different tastes and sizes but also deciding upon the product’s bioavailability.

Capsules

Vegetable capsules are the most popular form and often come in different doses. Although these fall more under that category of slow-acting or delayed-release melatonin, they might be the best melatonin supplement for those on a budget since they’re the cheapest option. 

Tablets

Tablets are more sophisticated, as they usually come in smaller sizes and are thus more comfortable to swallow. Tablets are often a good delivery method for controlled-release melatonin

Liquids

Syrups and drops dissolve, making them a more available active substance. The best liquid melatonin products often contain a dosing unit that facilitates titration of the dose.

Sprays

Sublingual sprays usually contain lesser doses of the ingredient, but they’re considered the fastest time-release melatonin forms. 

Deciding on a time-release melatonin vs. a regular one has to be based upon your needs. 

Fast-acting products provide quality sleep for those who spend short periods of time sleeping. 

Regular or slow-release melatonin products are better in the long term, as they provide natural effects on melatonin receptors.

The Best Dose of Melatonin for Sleep 

Bodyweight, metabolic rates, and overall health influence how melatonin behaves in the body. Although heavily researched, there still is no universal dosage that’s been found to satisfy the equation.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, everything ranging from 0.2mg up to 3mg daily is allowed for healthy adults with occasional sleeplessness.

For adults on high blood pressure medication, the recommended dose varies from 2.5mg to 5mg daily.

Some studies tested doses as high as 12mg of melatonin. However, this increased dosage is not recommended for longer than four weeks.  

The best melatonin dosage for sleep in children ranges from 1mg to 6mg before bedtime for up to one month. Melatonin is allowed in children older than 3. The dosage for attention disorders usually starts at 1mg, with a slight increase if needed.

Melatonin products are always taken 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime.

Is Melatonin Safe?

Although regarded as safe, there’s no clear line that defines the maximum dose. In fact, for some people, doses of 5mg can cause side effects.

The best melatonin dosage for beginners is achieved through selective increments. That means starting with smaller doses and increasing them over time. Melatonin is not an addictive substance, given its quick metabolism. Nevertheless, some sources claim that anything above 30mg can be harmful. 

Melatonin products should be used continuously for a month. A professional consultation is recommended if there’s a need for more extended use. There is evidence of people safely taking it every night for more than two years.  

Melatonin Side Effects

Even if you’re using the best brand melatonin, many people note the following common side effects:

  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Daytime drowsiness
  • Short-term depression or irritability
  • Indigestion and stomach cramps

Other Considerations

Melatonin-based products should not be taken within five hours before driving because they might induce sleepiness. 

Additionally, melatonin is not to be taken with certain drugs:

  • Sedatives (benzodiazepines and alike)
  • Birth control pills
  • Some antidepressants (fluvoxamine)
  • Immunosuppressants
  • High blood sugar medication
  • Some high blood pressure medication (nifedipine, verapamil)

Wrapping Up

Whether you are looking at a spray, liquid, or melatonin gummies reviews, melatonin is the king of natural sleeping products. It’s gentle, and yet it effectively induces sleep and maintains it. However, not all melatonin products are the same. Choosing the right one can present a particular challenge.

To pick correctly, you must compare your physiology and your sleep needs to a given product’s traits, such as composition, quality, price, formulation, and safety. On the other hand, with proper guidance, you might pick the best melatonin supplement for yourself without any of that.

Disclaimer: Even though you don’t need a prescription for these products, always consult with a licensed physician before taking any supplements.

FAQs

Does melatonin make you sleepy?

Melatonin is a sleep-inducing hormone that is secreted by the human pineal gland. It invokes the natural sleep cycle and induces sleepiness. It is not recommended that anyone drive a vehicle within at least five hours after taking a melatonin supplement.

How long does melatonin last?

Regular doses of melatonin are metabolized within 4–5 hours after administration. High doses, however, can last in the body for up to 10 hours.

How long does it take for melatonin to work?

Melatonin’s onset time depends on the potency and on the product’s formulation. Fast-acting products are absorbed within 15–20 minutes, while it might take standard formulas up to an hour to act.

Can I take melatonin every night?

It is safe to take melatonin every night for a month. Afterward, professional consultation is recommended. However, some studies confirm the safe use of 1mg of melatonin continuously for two years.

What is the best time to take melatonin for sleep?

The safest way to use melatonin is to take it 30 minutes to one hour before bedtime. It should never be taken shortly before going out or driving a motor vehicle.

What is the best dose of melatonin for sleep?

There’s no universal dose for melatonin. The safest practice is to start with small doses and increase them over time. Everything from 0.3mg up to 3mg daily is considered safe and you’ll find this range in our best melatonin supplement options.