Health Benefits of Melatonin Supplements

Unknown to many, the health benefits of melatonin are more than just a good night's sleep. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain. The pineal gland is a small, light sensitive gland in the brain that produces melatonin only during darkness. This brain secretion is responsible for setting and regulating the timing of your body's circadian rhythm, such as waking up and sleeping. Melatonin supplements is generally used as a sleep aid or to manage insomnia, but research suggests that there's more to melatonin than being a sleep inducer. It has been known that low levels of melatonin have been associated with depression, fibromyalgia, insomnia and other conditions. With this, let me share to you some of the other health benefits of melatonin supplements.

1. It can help treat mild depression. A number of researches suggest that taking melatonin supplements can help treat mild depression, including depression that is related to menopause as well as pre menopause. Disruption of the body's normal circadian rhythm can worsen depression so regulating the melatonin levels in the brain can help manage and even treat depression. However, there are also a number of research that shows that it can aggravate depression symptoms in some people, so it's really a case to case basis.

2. It can help reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as cancer. Melatonin is a potent antioxidant, which means it can stimulate the body's immune system to increase its ability to fight chronic diseases and infections. It also has good anti aging effects on the skin too.

3. It can help relieve pain associated with cluster or "stabbing" headaches. Some reports suggest that melatonin might be an effective treatment for frequent stabbing headaches, which could make it an good alternative to indomethacin because it has fewer adverse side effects.

4. It can help decrease symptoms in people who are in the process of quitting smoking. It has been known that regular intake of melatonin supplements right after quitting smoking can help reduce anxiety, restlessness, irritability and cigarette craving.

5. It can help overcome jet lags quickly. Melatonin can help improve certain symptoms of jet lag such as alertness and movement coordination. It can also help improve other jet lag symptoms such as sleepiness during the daytime and lethargy. Contrary to popular belief, melatonin is not effective in shortening the time it takes for people with jet lag to fall asleep.