← Register
Chronobiotics
Melatonin
In plain language
The hormone your brain naturally makes to signal bedtime. Helps with jet lag and falling asleep faster.
Is it an approved medication?
No — not an approved medication
No - sold as a food supplement, not a medication
How strong is the evidence?
Strong for jet lag and sleep-onset timing
The main thing to know
Common over-the-counter doses (3-5mg) are often much higher than the amount shown to work best (0.5-1mg).
Mechanism
Pineal hormone; binds MT1/MT2 receptors and advances the circadian phase.
Potential benefits
- Sleep-onset latency
- Resynchronization after jet lag
- Subjective sleep quality
Regulatory status
Authorized food supplement up to 1.9 mg/day in France; medicinal status above