When the subject of melatonin benefits is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is improved sleep, and that’s understandable as there’s plenty of evidence to support this claim. However there’s actually a lot more to this sleeping aid than that as it can provide other benefits, as the following information will show.
Why Melatonin Helps You Sleep Better
Simply put, it helps you go to sleep because it is your body’s sleep hormone. In fact it is often called the Dracula hormone because it’s only active during the night or when you’re in a dark environment. To explain it in simple terms, this sleeping aid is secreted by your pineal gland and tells your brain that it’s time for your body to sleep. As your body’s production of this hormone increases, you will feel sleepy.
Reduces PMS Symptoms
Women who use this hormone as a sleeping aid will be happy to note that it also reduces PMS symptoms. If these symptoms are driving you (and your partner) crazy, don’t be surprised because a study conducted at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute revealed that low melatonin levels are linked to premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
According to the study, low melatonin levels aren’t limited to a single week of the month as it actually goes down to the symptomatic luteal phase, which is the point in the menstrual cycle when progesterone levels are at their peak.
What this means is if you’re having trouble with PMS symptoms, take a supplement with this hormone on the 12 – 28 days of your cycle (to make it clear, day one is the first day of bleeding). If you take the supplement on a
consistent basis, you’ll notice an improvement in your moods, not to mention help you sleep much easily at night.
Slows Down the Aging Process
Another benefit of this hormone is its anti-aging properties, and it actually works much better than the various anti-aging creams sold in the market today. Based on an extensive research study done in Paris, a team of researchers discovered that regular melatonin based treatment delays the onset of symptoms related to aging in mammals.
What the study shows is that when the supplement is taken on a regular basis, it will play a major role in slowing down the aging process. This really should not be surprising given the fact that it helps you sleep, and sleep is one of the keys to looking young and living longer.
Reduces Hunger Cravings
There are several studies which suggest that lack of sleep makes people long for sugary foods and sweets. Now researchers have determined that a low melatonin level makes you vulnerable to diabetes, and it’s also been proven that this hormone can be found in various tissues in your body including your pancreas, which controls the production of insulin in your body.
In a detailed report published in the Nurses’ Health Study, it was reported that people with low melatonin levels are two times more likely to get diabetes than those whose levels are normal, so the implications are clear: you won’t just be prone to insomnia but also diabetes.
The fact that this sleeping aid helps control your hunger pangs mean it’s going to help you lose weight. This hormone it should be added, is not a weight loss solution per se, but research shows that it keeps you from reaching out for those donuts and sweets. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence for this, but a study in the University of Granada confirmed it. In fact, the study shows that it can regulate your weight even without going on a diet.
Manage Your Headaches
There’s also evidence that that this sleeping aid can help treat headaches and migraines, as research shows that low levels of this particular hormone leads to different types of headaches and more importantly, can treat these.
The results of this research were unveiled at the American Academy of Neurology’s 65th annual meeting, which says that 3 mg of melatonin had a more powerful effect than placebo and was in fact equal to 25 mg of amitriptyline, one of the most widely used antidepressants and sleep aids today. The study also noted that the hormone is actually much more tolerable compared to amitriptyline as it doesn’t lead to weight gain or cause daytime sleepiness.
If this isn’t enough, another study was published in Neurology which shows that two thirds of the volunteers who took 3 mg of the hormone reported a 50% reduction of their migraines, a very significant number. Furthermore, the duration and intensity of the headaches were reduced, which underscores its importance.
Aside from melatonin, you’ll also benefit by adding magnesium to your supplement list or going on a gluten free diet. Even on its own however, melatonin does a good job of keeping headaches at bay.
Boost Your Thyroid
As you get older, the melatonin levels in your body decline, resulting in fewer hours sleep and lower quality. At the same time, aging also reduces the efficiency of your thyroid, but taking a melatonin supplement will make a huge difference.
Based on the latest studies conducted at the Menopause Center in Italy, it was revealed that peri-menopausal and menopausal women between 42 and 62 years of age who take 3 mg of this hormone every night will experience improvement in sleep and thyroid function. In addition, taking this hormone supplement makes women and men less prone to depression. Furthermore, there is good evidence pointing to the fact that this sleeping aid helps keep your body from storing fat in your belly.
Which Melatonin Sleeping Aid Should I Take?
To fully realize the benefits of melatonin however, you must take the appropriate sleeping aid, one that’s natural and doesn’t have any side effects. A good example of such a product is Lunar Sleep, which has all the important melatonin benefits and will revitalize your body every morning when you wake. Unlike traditional sleeping pills, Lunar Sleep is 100% safe and guaranteed not to have any addictive elements.