Melatonin: the side effects you need to know
If you are looking for information about melatonin side effects, you are in the right place.
Melatonin is widely used to improve sleep, but like any substance we take, it can have side effects, especially if taken incorrectly.
First of all… did you know that there are 2 completely different types of melatonin? (and that one has no side effects?)
I'm talking about the endogenous melatonin and of the exogenous melatonin.
Endogenous melatonin It is what our body produces naturally after sunset to help us sleep (and which has no side effects).
This type of melatonin is a real natural hormone produced by our body, also known as the “sleep hormone”.
Its production is regulated by the alternation of day and night, that is, it is produced based on the presence or absence of light.
When it is dark, melatonin is produced.
When there is light, however, our body's production of melatonin is interrupted.
We will soon see how to increase the production of this natural melatonin, which has no side effects.
Let's first look at the other type of this hormone: exogenous melatonin.
Exogenous melatonin It is artificial, not produced directly by our body.
This is the kind found in tablets, sweets, oil, sprays, patches, etc. and is often taken as a sleep aid.
Its introduction on the market took place in the 90s, and continued to rise especially after the 2000s…
More and more people have problems with insomnia or difficulty falling asleep, and for this reason its use is constantly increasing even today.
However, This is the type of melatonin that causes side effects.
The worst is the discomfort caused by the recommended suspension periods that we will see shortly.
Other side effects may include:
• Daytime sleepiness. Taking artificial melatonin can prolong the feeling of tiredness even during the day, compromising productivity and concentration;
• Headache and dizziness. Some people report headaches or a feeling of dizziness after taking it;
• Gastrointestinal disorders. Symptoms such as nausea or abdominal pain may occur in response to the supplement;
• Vivid dreams or nightmares;
• Interference with medications. Melatonin can interact with some medications, especially blood thinners, immunosuppressants, and medications for diabetes or high blood pressure. It is always important to consult your doctor before starting to take it;
• Confusion and disorientation. Some people feel "out of step," as if the world around them is moving at a different speed. This disorientation can be a side effect of melatonin;
• Mood swings. Usually irritability or anxiety.
As mentioned above, the worst side effect is usually the recommended withdrawal periods.
Let's first see why these suspension periods are recommended.
Every 4/6 weeks it is usually recommended to suspend the intake of exogenous melatonin (the artificial one) for 1 week.
Even if there are no side effects, it is recommended to stop taking melatonin anyway to avoid any inconveniences…
Why?
This happens for two main reasons.
1- the first is that of prevent our body from getting used to prolonged use, which decreases its effectiveness. Furthermore, the regular intake of artificial melatonin “accustoms” our body to rely on this and decrease the production of endogenous melatonin, or the one naturally produced by our body.
2- The second is that continuous intake of artificial melatonin may increase the risk of other side effects such as daytime sleepiness, headaches or gastrointestinal disturbances.
The biggest “side effect” is another one though…
During these periods of suspension, we go back to resting badly.
Usually, you go back to sleeping even worse than you did before taking melatonin…
Why?
This happens because our body has started to get used to the intake of artificial melatonin…
When his intake is stopped he finds himself no longer having the sleep “regulator” he was taking.
This leads us to sleep badly for all the days of the suspension (usually about 1 week).
Personally, I don't think having 4 weeks of more or less regular sleep and then having 1 week of poor quality sleep is a great accomplishment... (always hoping you don't have any of the other side effects...
Many people are convinced that there is no solution…
They have resigned themselves to having periods of low-quality sleep, feeling sleepy, listless and unproductive during the day…
Sometimes, even when other side effects such as headaches or excessive daytime sleepiness are present, people continue to take artificial melatonin.
This way they manage to have at least 4 weeks of more or less regular sleep.
The price to pay, however, is often 1 week of low quality sleep and sometimes some other side effects caused by melatonin (in addition to the hundreds of euros spent on its continued purchase...)
What if there was a natural solution to this problem?
At the beginning of the article we saw the two types of melatonin…
We have seen that, in addition to the artificial melatonin we have just talked about, there is also endogenous melatonin.
This is the one produced naturally by our body, which does not present any side effects.
The question is…
Why are more and more people deficient in this melatonin, naturally produced by our body, and have to supplement it with artificial melatonin?
How did our ancestors and how did we manage not to have sleep problems until the late 1990s or so, when artificial melatonin was introduced?
The reason is very simple, but unfortunately it is not known by most people, who suffer the side effects of artificial melatonin and who spend hundreds and hundreds of euros a year for its integration…
We have previously seen how the production of endogenous melatonin, or natural melatonin, is regulated by the alternation of day and night.
As reported by several scientific studies like this one, our body releases it naturally based on exposure to light.
And that's exactly the problem: the light.
In the last decades the light we are exposed to has completely changed and has increased dramatically. Just like sleep problems...
For a few years now we have literally “illuminated” the night.
Not only that: we have changed the technology with which we illuminate it…
In fact, a few years ago we introduced LED technology as the main lighting tool…
Home light bulbs, LED strips, TVs, smartphones, tablets and PCs…
LED light is everywhere.
Why is LED light dangerous?
LED light is extremely dangerous because it causes the lack of natural melatonin in our body…
Let me explain better…
We have seen how the production of melatonin is regulated by the presence or absence of light.
But not just any kind of light…
What is the natural light present after sunset that has always made us produce melatonin naturally for thousands and thousands of years?
This is the composition of natural light after sunset:
As you can see, the prevailing shades are warm, while cold shades like blue are minimal…
This is the signal that tells our body to produce natural melatonin, the one that has no side effects and that has always made us sleep a deep and regenerating sleep, naturally.
But what happens if the light we are exposed to today in the evening, coming from the lighting in our homes and from the screens of TVs, smartphones, PCs and in general from all our electronic devices with LED technology, presents this light spectrum?
The production of natural melatonin is disrupted.
Since this type of light is composed of many shades of blue light, our brain receives the signal to stop producing melatonin.
This is what happened in nature only during the central hours of the day, when the sun emits blue light.
The problem is that during the day this serves to keep us awake and active…
In the evening, however, the falling of darkness should do the exact opposite: prepare us for sleep.
However, when our brain detects blue light in the evening from our electronic devices and the lighting in our homes, it goes haywire: blocks the production of natural melatonin, which does not cause any side effects.
This is the reason why today, the majority of the population (more than one in two Italians as reported in this article from Il Sole 24 Ore), it lacks natural melatonin, which does not have any side effects.
The consequences?
Difficulty falling asleep and/or shallow, unrefreshing sleep.
This makes us feel drained and low on energy the next day…
Not only that, it can make us feel sleepy and unmotivated, as if we have no energy.
This is caused by the production of natural melatonin which has dropped to an all-time low in recent years.
Think about it for a moment…
How long have we been introducing LED technology?
The last halogen bulb was removed from the market due to energy saving concerns in 2018…
Not only that: in recent years we have not only “illuminated” the night with LED lights…
We have also dramatically increased the time we spend in front of our smartphones, TVs and electronic devices in general in the evening, thereby increasing the amount of blue light we are exposed to.
The worst part?
Many people are unaware of the problems caused by this massive exposure to blue light and find themselves with ruined sleep, less vitality and less energy without knowing why…
Using social networks to entertain yourself and stay in touch with friends and family before going to sleep is an activity that most people do, only in the last few years…
Just as relaxing watching a movie or series on our LED TV is a widespread habit since streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime have allowed us to do so…
These habits further block the production of natural melatonin, which ironically has no side effects.
I'll ask you a provocative question...
Haven’t sleep problems increased since we introduced these habits that “bombard” us with blue light?
Confirming the blocking of melatonin production due to this blue light is also a study published in Oxford Academic that you can find at this link.
So how can we solve this problem and make our body produce melatonin naturally?
The answer comes from analyzing what happens in nature…
We have seen how the absence of light, and in particular of blue light, sends the signal to our brain to produce melatonin…
The solution to produce natural endogenous melatonin and avoid the side effects of the artificial one is simple: just block the blue light.
How can we block blue light in the modern, technological world we live in?
There are only 2 ways to block blue light and make our body produce natural melatonin:
1- go back to living as we did before the introduction of electricity, therefore without the use of artificial lighting sources and electronic devices;
2- protect ourselves from the blue light present in our homes and from the blue light emitted by our electronic devices at least 2 hours before going to sleep.
Unfortunately, the first option means taking a step back in time: we should go to sleep shortly after sunset, not use smartphones, TV or house lights in the evening.
The only option would be to use only candles or combustion sources such as fire to light the evening, what we always did before having sleep problems…
How to implement point 2, that is, blocking blue light?
What if I told you there was a natural way to do it?
Fortunately, it is possible to continue using smartphones, TVs, PCs and LED lighting at home even before going to sleep, without ruining our sleep…
As?
Blocking blue light.
This means that it is possible not to trick our brain and make it naturally produce natural melatonin, the one that does not have any side effects.
This will lead us to fall asleep in a few moments and to sleep a deep and regenerating sleep.
How to do?
Blue light, which suppresses melatonin production, is detected by our brain through our eyes…
To prevent this light from hitting our eyes, we need to block it first.
The only natural way to do it?
Wear chronobiological blue light blocking glasses.
These special glasses block blue light, allowing only warm tones (those found in nature after sunset) to pass through their lenses.
This way our brain does not receive the signal to block the production of melatonin.
The result?
Natural melatonin will be produced directly by our body, without any side effects!
The spectrum of light that will reach our eyes (and therefore communicated to our brain) when wearing the chronobiological blue light blocking glasses will be this:
Since it is the same as the one found in nature after sunset, we can fall asleep in a few moments and have a deep and regenerating sleep without taking any type of supplement.
This is because melatonin will be produced naturally by our body.
I have personally suffered from insomnia throughout my life…
When I discovered this solution, I immediately bought some clear blue light blocking glasses.
This is because I didn't want to alter my vision of orange colors like these glasses do…
Going back, this is what happened a few years ago…
After discovering that I could increase my natural melatonin production by blocking blue light, I order some clear blue light blocking glasses…
I receive the glasses and wear them in the evening convinced that they will improve my sleep and fall asleep in a few moments…
I go to sleep but nothing changes…
I start tossing and turning in bed and it takes me a long time to fall asleep…
I sleep a shallow sleep and wake up in the morning feeling exhausted as usual, with little desire to get up…
I think it might take a few days for my body to get used to producing melatonin naturally…
So I continue this experiment for another 10 days.
After 10 days, however, I have not noticed any improvement in my sleep and no reduction in the time it takes me to fall asleep…
So I understand that I need to use chronobiological orange glasses like the ones I read about during my research to have benefits on my sleep...
So I search for orange anti blue light glasses online and order a pair…
I received them after a few days and I'm excited to try them…
I wear them as recommended 2-3 hours before going to sleep…
The first night I go to bed and I don't notice any improvement...
I think it's normal and that it takes a few days for my body to get used to producing melatonin naturally…
I continue to wear them for 10 days and I seem to notice a slight improvement…
However, I don't notice the improvements I've read about falling asleep in minutes and getting a deep, restful sleep...
I wake up in the morning feeling a little more rested than usual, but far from the almost miraculous results I had read about online, which talked about waking up feeling full of energy…
So I go back to the research I did before trying any glasses and I notice that, to get the results that seem incredible to me, that is, falling asleep in a few minutes and having a deep and regenerating sleep, it is necessary to block at least 95% of the blue light.
In an article I read that transparent blue light blocking glasses only block 15/20% of blue light…
But what turns me around is what I read in another article.
Orange glasses are not all the same…
Many only color the light beam, without blocking high percentages of blue light.
The result?
Most of the blue light is still detected by our brain which significantly decreases the production of natural melatonin.
I discovered that even a small percentage of blue light detected by our brain significantly blocks the production of natural melatonin…
It's like mixing black paint into a can of white paint: just a small amount is enough to completely change the color.
Likewise, even minimal exposure to blue light can significantly alter the natural production of melatonin…
This is why I discovered that you need chronobiological blue light blocking glasses, that is, glasses that block at least 95% of blue light.
I'm looking for these glasses online but I'm having trouble finding them...
When I finally find a company on the other side of the world that produces them, I ask if they have distributors in Italy.
Unfortunately the answer is no, and the Italian market is too far away to be managed directly by them…
I am asking if it is possible to place an order anyway as I am determined to solve my sleep problems naturally and without side effects…
They confirm that it is possible, but with expensive shipping and a waiting time of approximately 40 days.
I am determined to solve my sleep problems and since it is the only option I agree and look forward to the delivery…
After almost 50 days, I finally receive the glasses…
Almost excited I can't wait to try them in the evening...
The first impression is that the lenses are the same as those of the glasses tried previously and that the vision is the same orange color.
I wear them all evening and go to bed as usual…
Until I wake up 6 hours later wondering how I fell asleep!
So I quickly come to the conclusion that the lenses of these glasses really work!
The sleep I had the night after wearing them was deep and regenerating…
I think I finally found the solution to my problem!
I also let my girlfriend try them, but she has never complained about any particular sleep problems like mine.
She also finds that with these glasses she falls asleep in just a few minutes and feels much more rested and energetic the next morning.
I then decide to place another order for her and my mother…
Even though it costs a few hundred euros per pair of glasses, I want to allow both of them to fall asleep in a few moments and have a deep and regenerating sleep…
Not to mention that the investment is one-time. It does not require a continuous purchase like the melatonin that I usually supplement…
A few weeks later, while I was waiting for my girlfriend and my mother to get their glasses, I had an idea…
Why not import this company's glasses to Italy?
I think I can help people with the same problems as me to improve their sleep…
Additionally, I can help all people improve their sleep since virtually all of us are exposed to screens and artificial lighting in the evening.
I also think that this problem will become more and more common…
This is because the time spent using electronic devices and artificial lighting continues to increase…
It seems like a great idea and the thought of having a small company that helps people sleep better makes me excited…
If a company like this had existed before I would have saved myself years of sleep problems…
So, after almost a year since I tried my first anti-blue light glasses, I brought the “No Blue Light Glasses” to Italy.
I have a dedicated line produced with the most advanced special anti-blue light orange lenses on the market, which block 97% of unnatural blue light in the evening.
The same lenses that allowed my desperate case to solve insomnia problems.
I build a website and finally start selling “No Blue Light Glasses”...
Hundreds of people have already purchased these glasses but, despite a 60-day money back guarantee, no one has ever asked for a refund!
All the people who have purchased one or more pairs of “No Blue Light Glasses” to date have been satisfied.
All report falling asleep faster and experiencing deep, restful sleep.
Like Sabrina who says:
