Function of melatonin
Regulating sleep patterns: as stated earlier, this is majorly the work of melatonin. Sleep latency is the period it takes for a person to fully fall asleep. This hormone helps to fight latency and hasten sleep in individuals. This hormone or supplements also ease the feeling of jet-lag which occurs when the body is not in sync with the time for sleep in new time zones, this results mostly from a change in environment. These supplements aid the body system to regulate better and faster.
Apart from regulating sleep patterns and syncing the body’s internal clock, melatonin also plays major roles in other parts of the body, such as:
- Migraine: this is a form of severe headache that is characterized by pain, sensitivity to light, and nausea and it is mostly a recurring condition. The use of proper painkillers may be effective for this condition, however, melatonin helps to lessen how severe and painful this form of headache is due to the pain sensation inhibiting factors found in melatonin.
- Eye problems: melatonin is known to carry antioxidant [2] properties that help fight against eye-related diseases like blindness, myopia, hyper myopia, astigmatism, and age-related diseases. Melatonin fights these diseases by producing neutralizing free radicals.
- Cancer: the use of melatonin prescribed by a healthcare professional alongside normal treatments such as chemotherapy brings positive results. It helps reduce the rate at which cancerous tumors grow and also hastens the healing process.
- Endometriosis: this condition occurs when a similar tissue to the ones lining the uterus grows rapidly and outside the uterus. This condition mostly affects the ovaries. The use of melatonin helps to reduce the pain from this condition and others such as menstruation and sexual intercourse.
- Blood pressure: research has also shown that the use of melatonin with a proper prescription from a medical doctor helps to lower the blood pressure level for individuals with such problems.
- Depression: seasonal depression is mostly said to occur or resurface due to disturbance in the sleep-wake cycle of the body. As earlier stated, melatonin helps to adjust this cycle and at the same time reduces the rate at which this disorder progresses.
- Gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD): this condition has signs such as heartburn, belching, and sometimes nausea. GERD [3] results from the flowing of stomach acids into the esophagus. Melatonin plays a role in inhibiting the production of some of these acids and thereby reducing the amount of acids going into the esophagus.
- Anxiety: research has shown that the use of a melatonin supplement before a surgical procedure, helps the individual cope with anxiety and fear.