The Facts on Melatonin in Perimenopause
Melatonin is my absolute most favorite antioxidant! She is billions of years old (that’s billion with a “B”) and she’s also a major part of your sleep-wake cycle. Unfortunately, production declines with age, especially in women going through perimenopause. This is a problem because insomnia, which includes struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep, seems to be a top symptom in women over 40. While there are many factors that affect your sleep, melatonin might be a key factor.
I often say that melatonin is like the moon and cortisol is like the sun. You make melatonin in cells all over your body. However, the pineal gland in your brain makes the melatonin that goes out into circulation and supports your sleep cycle and circadian rhythm. In fact, researcher Dr. Cippola-Neto and team states, “…the circadian melatonin rhythm drives annual reproductive and metabolic cycles in photoperiod-sensitive mammals.” That’s you. You are sensitive to light and dark with a rhythm.
Melatonin also influences your hunger, energy balance, glucose, insulin, and blood pressure! Plus, many people use it for time zone shifting when they travel.
How is melatonin made?
Melatonin comes from serotonin. The full breakdown looks like this:
Tryptophan —> 5HTP —> Serotonin —> 5-hydroxyserotonin —> Melatonin
Important co-nutrients for this pathway:
Vitamin B6 (active form, pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P5P) is the active form)
Zinc
Magnesium
Melatonin production from the pineal gland in your brain needs darkness to do its best work. You’ve probably seen online and in social media where health educators tell you to sleep in total darkness, start to dim the lights before bed, be mindful of white/blue light from screens, or wear blue light blocking glasses? There is truth to this. The goal is to move from bright daylight to dim light to darkness at bed for melatonin. The reason for this is your internal clock. Unlike your phone or computer, humans are not quite a 24 hour system. They are a little more or a little less.
This means you have to set and reset yourself every day!
You do this best by sleeping in darkness at night and experiencing full spectrum light in the morning on waking.
Unfortunately, if you’re waking up at 3am bored and pick up your phone to mindlessly scroll, you can make your melatonin production worse!
Other ways to suppress your melatonin production include: have genetic variants reducing your ability to form melatonin and some medications such as fluoxetine, calcium channel blockers, beta blockers, and NSAIDS taken at night. Even drinking alcohol seems to reduce production.
How much do you make?
It turns out you don’t make very much melatonin relative to the amount of supplements out there!
Adults only make about 0.3-0.5mg per day. Most supplements start at a full 1mg and go up to 5mg (or more). Keep this in mind, and talk with your practitioner about going “low and slow” if you choose to go on it.
A huge myth to bust is around the melatonin feedback loop. Some people think that taking melatonin the supplement will suppress your own production. Dr. Cippola-Neto and another famous melatonin researcher, Dr. Russel Reiter, disagree. They state there is no formal feedback loop if you take the supplement. Phew!
Side effects can include: feeling drowsy in the morning (especially if you took too much) or having more active dreams as your REM sleep adjusts.
Key Takeaways:
Melatonin is a badass. She has been around a long time and does a lot for your body. Like the insurance commercial says, “She knows a thing or two because she’s seen a thing or two.” Get off your screens at night. Wind down. Consider blue light blocking glasses. Ask your practitioner about supplementing especially as you age.
My personal favorite is Relax Liposomal. I use 1/2-1 dropperful especially when traveling across timezones. You can use code DRJONES for 10% off.