A recent study found people are turning to melatonin gummies to help them sleep. So we went to the experts at GBMC to talk about sleep and the implications of using an over-the-counter supplement your body already makes.
Dr. Terry Nguyen, the Chair of Pediatrics at GBMC Healthcare, explains what melatonin is, and how it helps our bodies, "So melatonin is a chemical made in your body that helps you ease into sleep. So it's a natural chemical made in your body. And it helps you ease into sleep and keeps you on your circadian rhythm."
But turning off the noise, and the screens is becoming harder.
This has many people turning to the supplement to help get some rest.
Dr. Nguyen says, before turning to a supplement, take a look at your habits, "If you're living on this planet and you want to sleep at night, get rid of those screens an hour before you're anticipating sleep. Because your body actually needs to have that darkness not have that bright light in order for it to produce the melatonin that will help your body ease into sleep."
Using a supplement occasionally is okay, but, like most supplements, melatonin does not have to pass any FDA testing. Dr. Nguyen says it's important to pay attention to what you are buying, "So when you're buying something over the counter, remember, look for the USP NSF, or CL which is consumer labs, that means there has been outside verification of the product."
Knowing the ingredients is critical. Researchers recently tested over two dozen gummies, and they found more than just melatonin, "
"I had no idea actually that some of the melatonin sold over the counter, when it was tested independently, it was actually all cannabinoids that is part of marijuana and has nothing to do with melatonin whatsoever. And who knows what other chemicals may be in there," said Dr. Nguyen.
So back to the best advice for a good night's sleep, "So remember that thing that you did with your children, you have, you know, the bedtime routine I talked about with toddlers and school-aged children, it's the four B's it's brushing your teeth, bath, book, and then bed. So you want to keep going with some form of that for every age of your life."
