Our body needs sleep to function correctly. People often overlook rest but what they don’t understand is the fact that sleep is equally essential for your body as eating. Modern life has got mankind working around the clock. Due to their busy schedules, rest holds the least priority. Eventually, people fall into mindless routines of not sleeping enough. It turns into a habit. At times, people fail to fall asleep at all. There are numerous reasons behind it. The most basic chemicals required to help with sleep is called melatonin. This article will explore different factors affecting our rest and how melatonin is used to support our resting schedule!
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Reasons for Insomnia
There are numerous reasons why people cannot fall asleep. Most people who are under a lot of stress and anxiety suffer from insomnia. Mental health plays a vital role when it comes to your sleep cycle. At times, people who are depressed find it difficult to fall asleep and become victims to their over-thinking and stressing even more than usual.
If you have just shifted to another country, there is a chance that you may not fall asleep quickly because of jet lag. It is often considered a myth, but many people suffer because of it for quite a long time. Your body may take more time to adapt to the new day-night shift.
Insomnia is also common amongst those people who do not follow a specific schedule for sleeping. Your body likes to work on a plan and follow particular timings. If you wake up and sleep at random hours, you may eventually lose the ability to sleep at all. Moreover, using electronic gadgets such as phones, televisions, and computers may also hinder the ability to fall asleep.
Having too much food at night can also be why you are not falling asleep and suffering from insomnia. Many doctors believe that by eating too much before going to bed, your brain will show you horror dreams. With too much food inside your belly, your body will feel uncomfortable and won’t be able to relax enough for you to be able to fall asleep. It is advised to take the smallest meal of the day before going to bed.
Science behind Sleeping
Sleep, like every other function of our body, is a result of several chemical reactions. One of the most common chemicals in our brains that helps us in sleeping is called melatonin. It is a hormone that is found naturally in our bodies. It is majorly affected by daylight. If our brains stay longer in the light, melatonin is not produced in large amounts. This prevents our body from feeling tired, and we stay active all day long. With melatonin levels low, our body has a higher temperature, and the blood pressure is normal or slightly elevated. But as soon as we get out of the daylight, melatonin starts to increase in our body, causing us to feel tired and eventually fall asleep. At this point, the brain begins to decrease the body temperature as well as the blood pressure.
Melatonin as Sleeping Solution
People that suffer acutely from insomnia are given melatonin to regulate their sleeping schedules. Initially, they are shown in small dosages hoping that the person will eventually start producing their own melatonin hormone. But if it is not effective, then the dosage is ultimately increased.
How Long Does Melatonin Last?
As per scientific research, melatonin lasts somewhere between 30 minutes to 4 hours. This is why after taking a medicine containing melatonin, people are advised to lie down and get some sleep. Any activity such as driving or handling delicate things is forbidden. But it is vital to remember that melatonin works differently for every person. There are a lot of different factors that affect the duration of melatonin in human bodies. Here are some of them:
Other Medicine
If you are taking blood pressure, cholesterol, or any other medication, then melatonin medicine may not work in the same way for you. If your health care recommends you melatonin, make sure that they know all the other treatment you are consuming. This is because with so many different medications coming inside your system, your body may react and absorb melatonin differently.
Weight
Your weight plays a vital role in determining whether melatonin will affect your body and how long it will last inside your system. If you are underweight or even normal, melatonin will not have a more intense effect on your body. You will feel exhausted even with a small dosage. On the other hand, a person on the bigger side of the weighing scale will require higher melatonin doses for it to be effective.
Age
If you are a young person of about 20 to 30 years old, melatonin will not stay long in your body. But people in their 40s onwards will have a long-lasting effect of melatonin. They can feel sleepy and disoriented for around 4 to 5 hours.
Drinking Caffeine
Caffeinated drinks can cause sleep problems. Getting rid of sleep and tiredness are one of the main reasons why people take coffee and tea. If you consume lots of coffee or tea after taking melatonin medicine, chances are that it won’t be effective.
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Conclusion
Melatonin is an important hormone that helps regulate our sleeping schedules. If anyone suffers from insomnia or a case of poor sleep, then they should consult a doctor or health care provider. Melatonin can help you sleep better and overall give you a boost to your health. Melatonin lasts inside our body for about 4 to 5 hours and if you have taken the supplement or medicine with melatonin, be very careful with the activities you perform. Moreover, there is a lack of guidelines on the amount of melatonin that a person must consume to stay healthy. Instead of becoming dependent on melatonin’s external sources, people must look for natural ways to regulate their sleep and increase their melatonin hormone.
