Melatonin - The Conductor of Your Dreams

Melatonin is a hormone responsible for our daily day-night rhythm. It acts like a conductor, controlling when we get tired, fall asleep, and wake up again. In this article, we explain how your melatonin production is influenced and what else you can learn about this sleep-promoting neurotransmitter.

What is Melatonin?

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the body and is commonly known as the sleep hormone. But: Melatonin isn't just for helping us fall asleep faster!

Instead, it orchestrates our internal clock holistically. For example, it also ensures that we are active during the day and only get tired in the evening. It has now been scientifically proven that melatonin plays a much broader role as a conductor of our entire biorhythm.

This includes, for instance, the activation of other hormones. These hormones can be imagined as an orchestra led by melatonin. The hormone orchestra, in turn, plays and influences, according to the rhythm of the melatonin conductor, our learning ability, memory, or sexuality, among other things.

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Scientific Discovery and Development of Melatonin

Melatonin was only discovered in the 1950s, which is late compared to the discovery of other hormones. Since then, it has sometimes been touted as a panacea, especially against aging processes. However, this has not yet been scientifically confirmed.

The exact role of melatonin in aging processes is not yet fully clear, and research on this is still in its infancy. Nevertheless, the hormone is increasingly emerging as a multitasking hormone in science.

Where and how is melatonin produced?

The pineal gland, located beneath the brain, produces most of our melatonin. It is part of the diencephalon and is about the size of a pea. In small amounts, the intestines or other organs can also produce the hormone from serotonin. So the body can produce melatonin itself. This is comparable to vitamin D, for whose production the body needs direct sunlight to produce it itself.

Light also influences the production of melatonin. When light or darkness hits our retina, this causes a decrease or increase in our own melatonin production. Then the pineal gland pea in our head comes into play.

This means: It gets light, we produce less melatonin, we wake up.
Or vice versa: It gets dark, melatonin production increases, we get tired. Blood pressure drops, our breathing changes, and energy production slows down. We notice that we feel ready for bed.
In a healthy normal case, the hormone thus controls our rhythm.

As we age, our body produces less and less melatonin. Naturally, production in the brain decreases. This is one reason why, for example, sleep can decrease with age, and other body functions also change.

Why is Melatonin a Multitasking Hormone?

We often read about melatonin as the sleep hormone. We have already explained and understood this function of melatonin. But what other tasks does our conductor, melatonin, perform in the body? The most important functions of melatonin include:

1. Melatonin controls our biological clock

And the associated influence on our sleep regulation.

Melatonin also acts as a coordinator for all other hormones and cells that are connected to our sleep-wake rhythm.

2. Melatonin protects the body from free radicals as an antioxidant

Free radicals are oxygen-containing molecules that are highly active and reactive. Free radicals can, for example, trigger disease processes. Melatonin can capture these molecules, bind them, and thus reduce their reactivity. An example of another well-known antioxidant is ascorbic acid.

3. Melatonin has an immune system balancing effect

Melatonin receptors are distributed throughout the body. These act as a modulator for our immune response. Melatonin can act as a messenger substance, enhancing or inhibiting our immune system's response if the reaction is too weak or too strong.

4. Melatonin can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels

Thus, melatonin can prevent the development of heart disease.

5. Melatonin influences the formation of hormones

Hormones that in turn influence our sexuality, memory, and learning ability.

6. Studies suggest melatonin's efficacy in treating cancer, migraines, eye diseases, or chronic pain

Research here is still in its early stages, but preliminary results seem promising.

The term "sleep hormone" therefore doesn't quite do melatonin justice: its scope of action is much broader!
In addition to controlling nighttime rest, melatonin also influences our biorhythm, immune system, and thus our general well-being.

What influences my melatonin balance?

A healthy and balanced lifestyle positively affects our melatonin balance. Exercise, time outdoors, and a varied diet play an important role for melatonin, as they do for all vitamin balances.

This is especially noticeable in winter when the early darkness can disrupt our rhythm a bit and make us tired quickly. In this case, it is advisable to spend more time outdoors in daylight, even if the bright hours are limited. An alternative for home can also be the purchase of a daylight lamp.

Conversely, there are factors that can throw our melatonin production off balance. You may have noticed that after an intense workout late in the evening, you couldn't fall asleep well.
Or that after very busy and stressful days, it's hard for you to wind down and natural tiredness doesn't set in. This could be due to your melatonin or a weakened melatonin production, which is reduced in these situations. Likewise, the consumption of cigarettes, LED-emitted blue light, caffeine and energy drinks, and alcohol influences your melatonin balance. Melatonin production is slowed down.

That's why we sometimes can't fall asleep well if, for example, we spend a long time clicking through our apps in bed in the evening.

How do I know if I have too little melatonin?

Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, and very short dream phases can indicate a disturbed melatonin balance. However, if we occasionally cannot sleep through the night, this does not necessarily mean that we produce too little melatonin. Many other circumstances and factors such as temperature, noise level, or our health condition also play a role in healthy sleep.

Melatonin and Cortisol as Opponents

Cortisol, known as the stress hormone and not to be confused with cortisone, is the natural antagonist of melatonin.
Cortisol production begins in the early morning hours, acting as an activator, invigorating and initiating our day. At the same time, melatonin levels drop, and we become awake and efficient.

In a healthy normal case, our cortisol level drops in the evening hours, and melatonin regains the upper hand. It signals the end of the day, and we become calmer, feeling ready for bed. So, if everything goes well in the interplay of hormones, cortisol and melatonin regularly take turns.

However, since chronic stress is no longer a rarity today, the connection with difficulty falling asleep is obvious. Consequently, cortisol levels are also elevated in the evening and suppress the sleep-promoting and sleep-supporting effect of melatonin. The hormonal balance gets out of whack; our conductor, melatonin, cannot work optimally.

Can I get melatonin from food?

Basically, the body can produce melatonin itself from serotonin, also known as the happiness hormone. So, melatonin itself does not have to be taken in with food. However, it is also found in very small amounts in selected foods. Cranberries, for example, have a relatively higher content of melatonin. Mushrooms, dried tomatoes, bell peppers, some cereals, and pistachios also contain traces of melatonin.

Melatonin and dietary supplements

Taking melatonin through dietary supplements can provide the desired help for existing sleep problems.

In Germany, dietary supplements may contain up to 1 mg of melatonin per daily dose. These dosages are freely available to customers and can also be found in drugstores. Higher dosages are only available with a doctor's prescription, as melatonin achieves a pharmacological effect. If you are considering taking higher amounts, it is best to consult your doctor.

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Conclusion: The most important facts about melatonin at a glance

• Melatonin regulates the day-night rhythm, signals rest phases to our body and inhibits activating processes. As a sleep hormone, it is important for our regeneration and recovery at night.
• Furthermore, melatonin coordinates our immune system, lowers blood pressure, and our cholesterol levels. It can protect the body from antioxidants.
• Many other functions of melatonin, such as the treatment of cancer or chronic diseases, are currently being researched.
• The body can produce melatonin itself from serotonin; we do not need to ingest melatonin with food.
• Responsible consumption of coffee, energy drinks, alcohol, and cigarettes protects the maintenance of a healthy melatonin balance.
• Chronic stress can inhibit melatonin production. Sleep disturbances and daytime fatigue can indicate insufficient melatonin production.
• To support your body and melatonin production, it is advisable to spend time outdoors in daylight regularly.
• Especially in winter, a short walk in the morning or at lunchtime helps against winter fatigue.
• Small rituals in the evening and after work can help lower cortisol levels and give melatonin production a free ride.
• Melatonin can be taken as a dietary supplement to shorten the time it takes to fall asleep.

 

Sources

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• Horn, F. (2009). Biochemie des Menschen. Das Lehrbuch für das Medizinstudium (4. Auflage). Thieme.
• Dr. Fauteck, J.-D. (2017). Melatonin: Das geheimnis eines wunderbaren Hormons. Christian Brandstätter Verlag.
• Ebermann, R.; Elmadfa I. (2011). Lehrbuch Lebensmittelchemie und Ernährung (2. Auflage). Springer-Verlag.
• Schneider, H. J.; Jacobi, N.; Thyen J. (2020). Hormone - ihr Einfluss auf mein Leben: Wie kleine Moleküle Liebe, Gewicht, Stimmung und vieles mehr steuern. Springer-Verlag.

All our articles are written by nutritionists and checked for factual quality by expert professionals.