10. Take Melatonin Supplements
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that’s produced at night by a part of the brain called the pineal gland. Its main responsibility is to control our natural sleep-wake cycles. Its production is triggered by darkness, and then when the morning light comes, production is reduced, signalling to the body that it needs to be awake.
For this reason, some people take melatonin supplements to help reduce the effects of jet lag if they travel across different time zones a lot.
In the UK, melatonin is only available on prescription as a short course, and it’s prescribed to help jet lag as well as insomnia in adults over the age of 55. In the majority of Europe as well as Canada and Australia, it’s also illegal to purchase melatonin without a prescription, but it’s readily available as a food supplement in the US and in some other countries.
Melatonin is sometimes prescribed to help the restless sleep associated with fibromyalgia. Studies have shown that it could be an alternative and safe treatment for those with fibromyalgia. It may also help to relieve pain and a low mood.
If you’re interested in taking melatonin supplements, speak to your GP. It’s worth considering that melatonin can also lead to the opposite of its intended use, by disrupting the sleep-wake cycle, causing you to feel too awake to sleep. It can also cause dizziness, headaches, nausea anxiety and diarrhoea.
Also Read: 10 Foods To Avoid in the Evening and What To Eat Instead
