Experiences with
Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone that occurs naturally in your body. At night, your levels of melatonin rise, before returning to normal during the day. This helps to control how and when you sleep.

You can take a synthetic version of melatonin for short periods if you have sleep problems such as insomnia. This adds to your body's natural supply of melatonin, so you fall asleep more quickly and you're less likely to wake up during the night. It may also help with symptoms of jetlag.

Melatonin is mainly used to treat short-term sleep problems in people aged 55 and over. It can also sometimes be prescribed by specialists to help with longer-term sleep problems in some children and adults.

Melatonin is available on prescription only. It comes as standard tablets, slow release tablets, capsules and a liquid that you drink.

Who can take melatonin

Most adults aged 55 years old or over can take melatonin to help short-term sleep problems.

Adults under the age of 55 and children with longer-term sleep problems can take melatonin if a specialist recommends it.

Who may not be able to take melatonin

Melatonin is not suitable for some people. To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor or pharmacist before taking it if you:

have ever had an allergic reaction to melatonin or any other medicine
have liver or kidney problems
have rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis or lupus, or any other autoimmune condition

Dosage and strength

Melatonin usually comes as 2mg, slow release tablets. These release melatonin gradually into your body during the night.

For short-term sleep problems (insomnia) in adults

The usual dose is one 2mg slow release tablet taken 1 to 2 hours before bedtime.

Sometimes your doctor will recommend that you only take melatonin 2 or 3 times a week to see if that improves your sleep first.

Melatonin should only be taken for a maximum of 13 weeks to treat short-term sleep problems in adults, but longer courses may be used on the advice of a specialist.

For longer-term sleep problems (insomnia) in adults

There are a number of conditions, including ADHD, cerebral palsy and chronic fatigue syndrome, which may affect your sleep. If you have a condition-related sleep problem, a specialist may prescribe melatonin longer term.

The usual starting dose is one 2mg slow release tablet taken 30 minutes to 1 hour before bedtime.

Sometimes the dose may gradually be increased to 2 to 3 tablets before bedtime, depending on how well it works and whether you have any side effects. The maximum dose is 5 tablets (10mg) once daily.

For longer-term sleep problems in children and teenagers

Longer-term treatment for children and teenagers is usually prescribed by a specialist.

The usual starting dose is one 2mg slow release tablet taken 30 minutes to 1 hour before bedtime. The dose may gradually be increased (up to a maximum of 10mg once daily) depending on how well it works and whether they have any side effects.

If their doctor prescribes melatonin liquid, they should follow the instructions provided with the medicine.

Find out more about how to give melatonin to children with sleep problems on the Medicines for Children website.

The usual dose for jet lag is one 3mg standard tablet. You can take this once a day for up to 5 days.

When you arrive at your destination, take your first dose at your normal bedtime. This should not be before 8pm or after 4am.

If you still need to take doses after this, try to take them at a similar time.

You can increase your dose to up to two 3mg tablets (6mg) if you need to.

Do not use more than 16 treatment courses in a year.

How to take it

It's best to take melatonin with food.

If you're taking slow release tablets, swallow them whole and do not cut or crush them.

How long to take it for

For short-term sleep problems you'll usually take melatonin for 1 to 4 weeks, although in some cases it can be prescribed for up to 13 weeks.

If you still have sleeping problems after finishing your course of melatonin, speak to your doctor.

If you need treatment for longer-term sleep problems, you may need to see a specialist. They may prescribe treatment for longer than 13 weeks.

If you've been prescribed melatonin for jet lag, you can take it for a maximum of 5 days.

If you forget to take it

If you forget to take melatonin at your bedtime, skip the missed dose and start again the next night.

Never take 2 doses at the same time. Never take an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one.

If you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicines.

If you take too much

If you take 1 or 2 extra melatonin tablets, it's unlikely to harm you.

you've taken more than your prescribed dose of melatonin and feel unwell

Get help from 111 online or call 111. Call 111 if you need advice for a child under 5 years old

If you need to go to A&E, do not drive. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Bring the melatonin packet or leaflet inside it, any remaining medicine, and any other medicines you take.

Common side effects

Melatonin does not have many common side effects but there are things you can do to help cope with them:

Do not drive, cycle or use tools or machinery if you're feeling this way. Do not drink any alcohol as this will make you feel more tired.

If you're taking more than one 2mg tablet talk to your doctor to see if you can reduce your dose. If this does not help, talk to your doctor as melatonin may not be the right medicine for you.

Make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. Do not drink too much alcohol as it can make your headache worse, and it affects the way that melatonin works. Ask a pharmacist to recommend a painkiller.

Talk to a doctor if headaches last longer than a week or are severe.

Try putting a heat pad or covered hot water bottle on your tummy. Talk to your doctor if the pain continues or is severe.

Take melatonin tablets or liquid after food. Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food. It can help to eat and drink slowly and have smaller and more frequent meals.

If taking melatonin makes you feel dizzy, stop what you're doing and sit or lie down until you feel better. Do not drive, cycle or use tools or machinery if you're feeling dizzy. Do not drink alcohol as it will make you feel worse.

If this does not get better after a few days, stop taking the medicine and talk to your doctor.

Chew sugar-free gum or suck sugar-free sweets.

Apply a moisturiser often. Try using an oil-free face moisturiser for sensitive skin.

If this does not get better after 1 week, stop taking the medicine and talk to your doctor.

If this does not get better after a few days, stop taking the medicine and talk to your doctor.

Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects are rare and happen to less than 1 in 1,000 people.

Speak to your doctor if you start feeling low or sad as this could be a sign of depression.

Call your doctor or call 111 now if you:

get changes to your eyesight, such as blurred vision
feel faint or pass out
start feeling confused or dizzy, or things seem to be spinning around you (vertigo)
have any bleeding that does not stop, unexplained bruising or blood in your urine

In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to melatonin.

Meds New IA (H4) - serious allergic reaction

These are not all the side effects of melatonin. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.

Melatonin and pregnancy

Melatonin is not usually recommended during pregnancy because little is known about its effect on babies.

Speak to your doctor if you become pregnant while taking melatonin. They'll help you decide whether to carry on taking it or to stop.

Melatonin and breastfeeding

If your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, you can take melatonin while breastfeeding.

Breast milk naturally contains melatonin, but when you take manufactured melatonin, it is not known how much of it passes into breast milk. It's thought to be a small amount that is unlikely to cause any side effects in your baby. However, if taken for longer periods of time, it might make your baby sleepy.

It's important not to share a bed with your baby while you're taking melatonin.

If you notice that your baby seems unusually sleepy, is not feeding as well as usual, or if you have any other concerns about your baby, talk to your health visitor, midwife, pharmacist or doctor as soon as possible.

Melatonin and fertility

There's no evidence to suggest that taking melatonin reduces fertility in either men or women.

Speak to a pharmacist or doctor if you're trying to get pregnant. They may want to review your treatment.

Meds New IA (H2) - Pregnancy non-urgent care card

Cautions with other medicines

Some medicines and melatonin can affect each other and increase your risk of side effects.

Lots of medicines may increase or decrease the drowsy-making (sedating) effects of melatonin.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any of these medicines before taking melatonin:

antidepressants such as fluvoxamine or amitriptyline
benzodiazepines such as temazepam (for insomnia) or diazepam (for anxiety or muscle pain)
medicines that lower blood pressure
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen or diclofenac
oestrogens, used in contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
opiates such as codeine or morphine for pain control
psoralens, for skin disorders such psoriasis
quinolones or rifampicin, types of antibiotic
carbamazepine, for epilepsy
cimetidine, for stomach problems such as ulcers
thioridazine, for schizophrenia
warfarin, a medicine to prevent blood clots
zaleplon, zolpidem or zopiclone, for insomnia

Mixing melatonin with herbal remedies and supplements

Do not take any herbal remedies that make you feel sleepy while taking melatonin.

They can increase the sedating effects of your medicine and make you feel much more drowsy.

There's not enough information to say that other, non-drowsy herbal remedies and supplements are safe to take with melatonin. They're not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines. They're generally not tested for the effect they have on other medicines.

Meds New IA (H2) - Cautions with other medicines alert