Melatonin for Anxiety Review, Effects and Dosages

Generally, people use Melatonin supplements to help with sleep disorders, such as primary insomnia. It also used for a variety of health conditions that include bipolar disorder, dementia, depression, endometriosis and anxiety.

Melatonin is a hormone made by the brain to regulate sleep cycles, but it can also play a role in mood and anxiety. It helps to control the level of stimulation and activity experienced by the body, and demonstrates anxiolytic effects.

If you have anxiety, melatonin may help make it easier to fall asleep at night, since insomnia is a common side effect of this mood disorder. It can also improve depression symptoms in patients with both anxiety and depression.

However, research shows that it does not improve state anxiety – which is the name given to short-term stress and arousal experienced in the face of a perceived threat or danger. What are the effects of melatonin for anxiety and how is it used for this condition?

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Melatonin Function

In the body, the Melatonin hormone works to regulate sleep and the circadian rhythm. Levels of this chemical are affected by the amount of light during the day and at night.

Our brain receives signals from the eyes through a nerve pathway that detect the amount of light in the ambient environment,

The brain then responds by secreting the appropriate hormones, changing the body’s core temperature and taking other actions involved with the cycle.

At nighttime when it is dark out, the brain releases Melatonin to help the body sleep. When light is detected, the secretion of melatonin is inhibited and other wakefulness-promoting hormones take over.

Since Melatonin naturally plays such a large role in regulating the body clock and sleep, the supplement is widely used when sleep problems are present. But it might also help with different forms of anxiety.

Melatonin for Anxiety

A number of studies support the use of Melatonin for anxiety. One clinical study found that Melatonin supplements improved both anxiety and depression in elderly participants to a significant extent.

Nine of the 14 people in the study stopped using hypnotic treatment when they were taking Melatonin. Further, these patients had better sleep when taking the supplements. [1]

An animal study looked at a Melatonin agonist, which mimics the effects of melatonin to create a response, in relation to anxiety and depression in mice.

The study found that the agonist has anxiolytic effects, which are effects that fight anxiety. The agonist also had antidepressant effects.

In addition, the authors of this study reviewed previous studies of Melatonin for the treatment of mood disorders. These studies found Melatonin effective against certain types of anxiety in animals.

However, some research showed that the supplementation only worked for anxiety when it was given in the afternoon or later, during the dark part of the light cycle. [2]

Effects of Melatonin on Mood

Another study notes that Melatonin is involved in a wide variety of physiological functions in the body and can lead to health and mental problems when its function is impaired.

A review study looked at research on Melatonin receptors in the brain, and found that perception of anxiety is linked to these brain receptors. The study also found that some Melatonin receptors had anti-anxiety properties. [3]

These study show the need for further research into the possibility of using Melatonin for anxiety treatment.

Melatonin might help specific types of anxiety, but it is less effective for other types. For instance, it is used to relieve anxiety that patients experience before surgery, although it does not seem to work for this purpose in all patients.

It has also been used to help with the anxiety people can feel when withdrawing from nicotine.

One study found that it did not improve state anxiety when participants were exposed to an external stressor. Fifty subjects took part in a test of memory retention, while undergoing a period of stress. Subjects were either given melatonin or a placebo.

The group given melatonin did experience a significant improvement in memory acquisition or learning, but they experienced the same amount of anxiety as those given a placebo. This temporary state of nervousness is referred to as state anxiety.

Melatonin for Anxiety Reviews

Most reviews of Melatonin supplements focus on its primary use of aiding sleep. Nonetheless, some people have left reviews about using Melatonin for anxiety, including when anxiety is preventing them from sleeping.

A number of people who experience on-going insomnia symptoms begin to feel stress and anxiousness about sleeping at night. This can further exacerbate insomnia, as well as increase anxiety during the day due to sleep deprivation.

Numerous reviews on Drugs.com mentioned that Melatonin helped the users sleep when anxiety was keeping them awake. They reported feeling more relaxed and having a calmer mind after taking Melatonin, which helped them fall asleep.

Sleep can also have broad-spectrum benefits for health and mood regulation. During sleep, our body repairs itself and neurotransmitter levels are reset, which can improve resistance to anxiety the following day.

Melatonin Dosage for Anxiety Symptoms

Melatonin has not been approved by the FDA as a treatment for General Anxiety Disorder, so there are no standardized dosage recommendations for this supplement.

For the purpose of reducing anxiety before an operation, Melatonin has been used in doses of 3-10mg in adults, about an hour before the surgery.

For falling asleep, common dosages are 2-12mg before bed. However, one study discovered that using just 0.3mg for sleep had better results. [4]

Overall, most people tolerate Melatonin well when used at appropriate doses. Few side effects are reported, although some people experience minor adverse effects. For instance, this supplement might cause daytime drowsiness, nausea and irritability.

In addition, pregnant women and lactating women should avoid it, and it might not be safe for long-term use in children. It might also interfere with other medications and supplements being used.

While Melatonin might help relieve anxiety in some people, a small number of people may experience a worsening of anxiety when using this product.

People with anxiety should be careful about using this supplement and talk to a health professional before taking it for this purpose. In addition, some Melatonin users have also reported feeling depressive symptoms.

Some research shows potential for using Melatonin as an anxiolytic and to help people with anxiety fall asleep at night. In particular, the research often focuses on anxiety in particular populations or certain circumstances, such as before surgery.

More research is needed to rate the efficacy of melatonin for anxiety treatment. While preliminary results show that it can have benefits, not everyone will see positive results when taking this supplement.

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