What Melatonin Actually Does
Melatonin is not a sedative. It does not directly cause sleep, it is a darkness signal that tells your circadian clock it is night. The effect is chronobiological (clock shifting) rather than sedative. This is why taking 10mg of melatonin does not feel like a sleeping pill. It shifts your clock timing, it does not knock you out.
Research by Dr. Richard Wurtman at MIT found that physiological levels of melatonin (the amount your brain naturally produces) are 0.1, 0.3mg. Supplements at 0.5mg still effectively saturate melatonin receptors. Doses of 5, 10mg do not produce proportionally better effects, they just remain in your system longer and can cause next day grogginess.
When to Take Melatonin
For sleep onset delay (general insomnia): 0.5mg taken 30 minutes before target bedtime. Do not take it if you are already in bed, it will have already peaked. Take it while still up and winding down.
For jet lag (eastward travel): 0.5mg at 10 PM destination time for 3 consecutive nights after arrival. This accelerates clock advancement.
For jet lag (westward travel): Melatonin is less effective for westward travel (clock delay). Light exposure management is more useful.
For delayed sleep phase (night owls): 0.5mg taken 5 to 6 hours before your natural sleep time (so for a midnight sleeper: 6, 7 PM) can gradually advance the clock over weeks. Requires consistency.
When NOT to Use Melatonin
Melatonin is not appropriate as a long term solution to poor sleep hygiene or behavioural sleep problems. It will not fix the consequences of caffeine at 4 PM, phones in bed, or inconsistent schedules. It is a tool for specific circadian timing challenges, not a substitute for the habits that determine sleep quality.
Fix Your Sleep Schedule
Use our 7 day reset plan combined with appropriate melatonin timing for the fastest results.
Read Reset Plan →