For most healthy adults, melatonin at a low dose for a short period is considered safe, but it is not a long-term fix for ongoing sleep problems.
Melatonin is a hormone your body makes in the evening, and the supplement version mainly shifts the timing of your sleep signal rather than sedating you. The usual approach is 0.5 to 5 mg taken 30 to 60 minutes before your target bedtime, and higher doses do not work better. In the United States melatonin is sold as a dietary supplement, so it is not reviewed by the FDA for strength or purity before sale and the amount in a product can differ from what the label says. Side effects are usually mild and include headache, dizziness, nausea, and grogginess the next morning. If you have trouble sleeping most nights for three months or more, structured behavioral treatment for insomnia works better and lasts longer than any supplement.
How to use melatonin safely
Common questions
is melatonin safe
For most healthy adults, melatonin appears safe for short-term use at low doses, usually 0.5 to 5 mg taken 30 to 60 minutes before bed. Common side effects are headache, daytime drowsiness, dizziness, and nausea. Long-term safety has not been well studied. Because it is sold as a supplement in the US, the amount in a product can differ from the label. Talk with a clinician before using melatonin if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you take blood thinners, seizure medicines, diabetes or blood pressure medicines, immune-suppressing drugs, or sedatives. Ask a pediatrician before giving it to a child, and store gummies out of reach.