The Doctors: Melatonin Hangovers?
Do you suffer from sleep issues at night? One possible solution is taking Melatonin to help with getting to sleep at night. But one viewer of The Doctors had a question: can you get Melatonin hangovers? First, sleep expert Dr. Raj Dasgupta wanted to establish what Melatonin is. So what is it? It’s a natural hormone secreted in your brain and it’s mainly secreted at night to help you fall asleep. People who take over-the-counter Melatonin are doing it because it mimics the hormone that’s already being made in the brain.
The Drs TV: Melatonin Hypnotic Effect & Dosage
Want to sleep more soundly at night? The Doctors looked at melatonin and whether it’s a good way to help people fall asleep naturally.
Dr. Raj Dasgupta said on The Doctors that there’s a lot of controversy surrounding melatonin. The first controversy is the dosing. It used to be around .5 to 3 miligrams, but now that it’s been sold over the counter, it’s being sold in 10 milligram doses. And technically speaking, it’s not FDA approved. It’s officially a dietary supplement.
If you’re going to use it, Dr. Raj Dasgupta recommends it for two reasons: to help with the circadian rhythm and jet leg; and to help with insomnia. Dr. Raj Dasgupta said that when you take melatonin, you shouldn’t take it for the rest of your life. You should take it for weeks to months, and be careful taking the drug. It could interfere with other drugs.
Some side effects associated with melatonin include a hypnotic effect that may still be around in the morning, which is why you might feel a melatonin “hangover.” The drug is still in your system and working, you’re just trying to go about your morning in spite of it.
The Doctors: Melatonin Natural Sources
It’s also important to consider natural sources of melatonin, which include tart cherry juice, pineapple, and miso soup. Dr. Raj Dasgupta said for him, what’s important is not what you eat, but what you should avoid. Before going to sleep, avoid foods that cause heartburn, contain caffeine, or make you go to the bathroom. But he did say bananas were a good food to eat for this purpose. Bananas don’t contain melatonin, but they contain a precursor amino acid that goes on to produce melatonin in your system. Dr. Raj Dasgupta also didn’t recommend taking a nightcap before bed.
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