What’s the best time to take melatonin for optimal sleep?

Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA

Having a hard time falling asleep? Explore if taking a melatonin supplement could be right for you, including the best timing and dosage based on your circumstances.

A lot of times falling asleep can feel like a real life nightmare. You lay down hoping to doze off instantly and instead your brain decides to relive every moment of the day and then zero in on only the parts that fill you with regret, anxiety, or embarrassment. Our brains are fun that way.

As a result, a lot of people recently have turned to melatonin supplements to help them get that blissful night's rest. But even though melatonin’s natural, it isn’t a miracle supplement. Timing, dosage, and other small bedtime habits can affect how well it works. 

If you’re curious if melatonin’s right for you, when to take it, or if you’re using it correctly, we’ve got you. Grab your favorite PJs and let’s drift our way through all things melatonin.

 

What is melatonin, and how does it work?

Melatonin is a hormone our body naturally makes to help us rest. The pineal gland, a tiny part in our brain, produces melatonin when we’re around darkness. So as the light around us dims at night, our melatonin levels rise and signal to our body that it’s time to sleep

Our circadian rhythm is also regulated by melatonin and plays a big role in our body temperature, hormone levels, and even digestion. If this rhythm gets thrown off, melatonin supplements could help get things back on track.

But melatonin supplements aren’t sleeping pills… They won’t knock you out. They’ll just help provide you with a little extra support by gently nudging your body to feel sleepy.

 

Who should (and shouldn’t) take melatonin?

If melatonin can help us get to sleep, then why aren’t we all taking it? Well, because it’s not right for all of us. For some, it might gently improve our sleep quality. But for others, it might not be needed — or even safe. 

Who might benefit from melatonin?

Melatonin’s mostly used by people who have trouble falling asleep. But it can be useful for many reasons:

  • Jet lag: If you’re crossing multiple time zones, melatonin could help reset your internal clock so you can adjust to the new time faster.

  • Shift workers: If you work night shifts or rotating shifts, melatonin could help you sleep during the day when your body isn’t naturally programmed to do that.

  • Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS): This condition makes it hard to fall asleep until very late at night. If you’re experiencing this condition, melatonin could help to shift your bedtime earlier.

  • Older adults: As people age, melatonin levels can decrease, which can lead to more trouble sleeping. A small dose of melatonin might help restore your levels and help you doze off easier.

Who should avoid melatonin or use it carefully?

In some situations, melatonin can actually do more harm than good. If you’re considering adding melatonin into your life, talk to your doctor first, especially if you:

  • Are pregnant or breastfeeding: There’s not enough research right now to show if melatonin is safe during pregnancy or while nursing.

  • Have autoimmune conditions: Melatonin can sometimes interfere with immune function.

  • Have depression or anxiety: In some cases, melatonin can actually make your mood worse.

  • Take certain medications: Melatonin has been known to interact with medications like blood thinners, diabetes medications, and birth control pills. 

  • Are under 18: While melatonin can sometimes help children—especially if they have autism or ADHD as these conditions can affect sleep— it’s best to talk to a doctor first before adding melatonin into your child’s life. 

 

What is the best time to take melatonin?

When it comes to melatonin, timing is everything. Taking it too early or too late can really affect how it works on you. If you’ve tried melatonin and felt like it didn’t work for you, check in on the timing first before upping that dosage. 

But timing’s going to be different for everyone (and also depending on the situation), so here are a few important considerations to think about before diving into melatonin.

For general sleep problems: If you usually have issues falling asleep, take melatonin 30 minutes to one hour before you want to conk out. This will give your body enough time to absorb the supplement and help you get drowsy.

For jet lag: If you’re traveling across multiple time zones, aim to take melatonin at the time you want to fall asleep in the new location. So if you want to fall asleep at 10pm in the new place, wait to take melatonin until 9pm local time. 

For shift workers: If you work night shifts or rotating shifts, take melatonin 30 minutes to an hour before you want to doze off. So if you want to be asleep by 8am, take melatonin around 7:30am. Maybe also consider investing in blackout curtains and sleep masks to enhance melatonin’s effects.

For delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS): If you’re a night owl and struggle to fall asleep before 2am, melatonin can help shift your sleep schedule earlier. If this is the case for you, take melatonin about 3 hours before your desired bedtime and try to stick to this routine for several weeks as consistency is key.

When not to take melatonin

When it comes to timing, there are also some times you should avoid taking melatonin as it may have no (or the opposite) effect.

Right before bed: Melatonin isn’t a sleeping pill, so if you take it immediately before lying down, you might get frustrated as it still will take time to hit your system.

In the middle of the night: If you’re tossing and turning until 2am, taking melatonin at that point might do more harm than good and cause you to sleep farther into the morning or be groggy for the first half the day.

Too far in advance: If you take melatonin more than 2–3 hours before bed you might find yourself falling asleep at your favorite show but wide awake by bedtime. So be patient with yourself and take melatonin closer to bed. 

 

7 tips for responsible melatonin use

When you first hear about melatonin, it almost seems too good to be true. A natural way to fall asleep easier? Sign us up! But melatonin shouldn’t be treated like a sleeping pill. It’s a hormone that should be used wisely. If you use it in the wrong way, you could find yourself on the wrong side of nasty side effects.

Here are seven simple tips that can help you get the most out of using melatonin while also keeping things safe and effective.

1. Start with a low dose

A lot of us think that taking a higher dose will help us fall asleep faster, but that’s actually not true. Research shows that low doses (typically between 0.5 mg and 3 mg) are often just as effective. Higher doses can lead to vivid dreams that disrupt sleep, and who wants that?

Try this: If you’re new to melatonin, start with the smallest available dose. Then if that doesn’t help after a few nights, gradually increase the amount in small increments. 

2. Limit how long you take it

If you get a good night's sleep using a supplement, it’s easy to feel like it should become a nightly occurrence. But melatonin’s meant to gently guide your sleep schedule back on track, not to fix insomnia or sleep disorders. So use it sparingly so that your body doesn’t become dependent on it for rest.

Try this: If you’re jet lagged, adjusting to a new sleep schedule, or recovering from a few rough nights, consider taking melatonin. (And if you’re currently in the throes of jet lag, here are ten tips to help you recover). But if you're taking it for longer than two weeks in a row, consider talking to a doctor.

3. Create a calming bedtime routine

Melatonin is not a miracle worker. Yes, it works. But it works a lot better when paired with good sleeping habits like avoiding screens before bed and creating a dark, calm bedroom

Try this: An hour before bed, consider reading a book or taking a warm shower instead of mindlessly scrolling.

💙 If sleep has been hard for you lately, listen to Chips Okereke’s session Unwind Into Sleep to help ease you into rest.

 

4. Be aware of side effects

Melatonin is a natural supplement that’s generally considered to be safe, but some people do experience mild side effects like day drowsiness, headaches, dizziness, and vivid nightmares. If you start to notice side effects like this consistently, stop taking it and reach out to your doctor.

Try this: If you notice mild symptoms in this vein, consider lowering your dose or taking melatonin earlier in the evening. 

💙 If you just had a nightmare and are now wired, try throwing on Dr. Eric López’s Falling Back to Sleep with Ease meditation.

5. Watch out for interactions with medications

Melatonin sometimes can interact with certain medications like blood thinners, immune suppressants, diabetes medications, and birth control pills. These interactions can either reduce the effectiveness of the medication or increase side effects. If you’re on any prescription drugs, chat with your doctor before taking any melatonin.

Try this: If you’re avoiding melatonin due to any medications you’re on, consider gently stretching your body to help naturally winddown instead. Here are seven bedtime stretches to try. 

6. Monitor how you feel

Check in with yourself regularly and pay attention to how you feel the day after you take melatonin. If you feel groggy or sluggish, maybe that means the dose is too high, or you took it too late at night. 

Try this: If you don’t feel like yourself the next morning, try adjusting the timing of when you take it the next time so that you get the best benefits of melatonin without that annoying next-morning-brain-fog.

7. Combine with other healthy sleep practices

Melatonin isn’t a cure all. It works best when paired with other healthy sleep routines. Set yourself up with success by aiming to keep a consistent bedtime and by avoiding caffeine and heavy meals in the evening

Try this: Take a walk in the sunlight if you had a hard time falling asleep the previous night as sunlight exposure can help regulate your body’s natural melatonin production.

💙 If you’re in the mood to walk and also be a little more present, put on Tamara Levitt’s Mindful Walking meditation.

 

Best time to take melatonin FAQs

How does light exposure affect melatonin effectiveness?

Our bodies naturally produce melatonin when it gets dark to help us get sleepy. (How cool is that?) But bright light—especially the light from smartphone screens—can slow or stop that production, and make it harder for us to pass out. (Less cool.)

Exposing ourselves to too much light before bed can reduce the effectiveness of melatonin in our body. 

Here are a couple ways we can get the best results from melatonin and avoid too much of that dreaded light exposure: 

  • Dim your lights about an hour before bed 

  • Avoid using screens right before you sleep 

  • Read a book

  • Listen to calming music

  • Practice a deep breathing meditation

  • Use blackout curtains to keep your room dark

Can melatonin be taken alongside herbal supplements?

Many of us want to make the perfect sleepy cocktail to make us peacefully doze off. Herbal supplements like valerian root, chamomile, and magnesium all can help us get a little sleepy. So it’s natural to wonder, “If these supplements make me drowsy, wouldn’t adding melatonin to them make me even more sleepy?”

It might. But the combo hasn’t been widely studied. And actually in some cases, mixing multiple sleep aids might even increase drowsiness in a not so good way and lead you to have unexpected side effects.

If you’re considering mixing melatonin with another supplement, here are a couple rules of thumb to follow so that you’re extra safe:

  1. Start with small doses.

  2. Pay attention to how you feel throughout the process.

  3. Space out when you take them — perhaps melatonin before bed and an herbal tea earlier in the night. 

  4. Talk to your doctor to make sure it’s safe for you (especially if you take other medications).

Is melatonin safe for children and older adults?

Melatonin is generally thought to be safe for children and older adults. In fact, for kids who have ADHD or autism, melatonin can really help because these conditions affect sleep. But talk to a doctor first as children’s sleep patterns are still developing, and melatonin could interfere with their circadian rhythms.

In older adults, melatonin can help restore natural melatonin levels as it tends to decrease in our bodies as we age. If this is the case for you, consider starting with a low dose like 0.5mg. This can reduce the risk of side effects like dizziness or grogginess

And if you’re an older adult, make sure to talk to your doctor before diving into the melatonin pool to make sure it won’t interact poorly with any of your other medications.

How does melatonin interact with caffeine or alcohol?

Caffeine can make us feel great as it’s a stimulant that makes us less sleepy. But if you consume caffeine too late in the day, it can interfere with your melatonin production and make it harder for melatonin supplements to work on you. So if you’re planning on taking melatonin, try not to have caffeine after 2pm.

On the flip side, alcohol can make you feel sleepy at first, but then more often than not disrupts your sleep later in the night. So if you want to take supplements, consider not mixing it with alcohol as it can interfere with how your body processes melatonin and make it less effective. 

Plus, the combo can potentially lead to extra grogginess the next day, and who wants that? 

Why is consulting a healthcare provider important before starting melatonin?

It might seem like melatonin is safe because you can get it over the counter. But it’s still a hormone, and if you use it incorrectly, it could possibly lead to unwanted side effects. And who wants those? So before diving into the world of melatonin, talk to your doctor to learn more about it, and see if it’s right for you.


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