Millions of people worldwide suffer from anxiety disorders and panic attacks every year, inducing insomnia and affecting behavioral and mental health. Searching for efficient and easy ways to handle anxiety, one may come across ‘Melatonin’ – a hormone naturally produced in the human body from the pineal gland in the brain, that can now be found as an over-the-counter medication.
With several reports stating how the use of melatonin may reduce anxiety and sleep disorders, it’s no doubt that many people would often be prescribed the hormone for panic attacks, insomnia or symptoms related to anxiety. But melatonin usage comes with its own set of side-effects, and its effectiveness in helping treat some behavioral issues needs to be studied more. Therefore, it is okay to be curious on whether it even helps or is just a hype that will fade with time. Let’s check through a few things first.
What is Melatonin and What Does it Do?
Produced naturally from the pineal gland, a tiny endocrine gland deep inside the brain, melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate the sleep-cycle, aka, the circadian rhythm of the body. It also helps reduce oxidative stress and relaxes the nerves to dull a bit of pain. Nowadays, produced artificially and available as an OTC medicine, it may be prescribed to help treat insomnia, restlessness or other similar issues.
Anxiety and Sleep: How Do They Affect Each Other?
Good sleep is essential for the body to remain properly functional and keep hormone levels balanced. Lacking sleep can strain the nerves and brain, making one feel unnecessarily stressed and anxious.
Anxiety can induce hypersecretion of cortisol while lowering melatonin levels, which can disrupt the circadian rhythm. For some people, this may turn into a loop of feeling constantly anxious and insomniac, further exacerbating other symptoms, including but not limited to:
- Weakened immune system
- Dulled senses and impaired performance
- Increased mood-swings and irritation
- Development of attention-deficit disorders
- Onset of depression
A series of overlapping physical and mental health issues can start appearing due to a lack of sleep and unmanaged anxiety.
Can Melatonin Really Help Control Anxiety?
From the many researches conducted over the last few years, the use of melatonin in treating stress and anxiety related behavioral problems have been proven to be quite effective and safe, despite the debate considering it. Though sometimes it may not be as suitable and alternative options may be needed depending on the conditions.
Melatonin can help when the anxiety is not too severe and is resulting in stress-induced insomnia. It can reportedly start working in about just an hour or half, inducing sleepiness and relaxing the nerves and muscles, so that one may get proper REM sleep. It’s important to choose the right dosage and be consistent with it for optimal results. One can even opt for psychological and behavioral health services to get sufficient help with monitoring their mood patterns and developing healthy lifestyle habits.
The Side Effects and Limitations
Now that we’ve gone through how melatonin may help in controlling anxiety, we need to take a quick look at the different side-effects that have been reported and some other considerations.
- Nausea and Headaches: It can be hard for some to get accustomed to the dosage, feeling nauseated or getting migraines and headaches. Melatonin in excessive amounts can end up resulting in gut health problems and nervous system damage, so only a small dose is recommended.
- Drowsiness and Slower Reflexes: Melatonin is primarily responsible for maintaining the body’s sleep-cycle, so it’s not unusual to feel drowsy and less responsive during the day if used for prolonged periods of time. Though it may severely affect work performance and speech.
- Nightmares and Mood-swings: Melatonin may even have the opposite effect of what is intended, like having vivid dreams, nightmares and restless-sleep, keeping one tossing and turning in their bed all night. Fluctuations in melatonin levels are also greatly responsible for mood changes. Some complain of feeling less emotionally responsive after melatonin use.
- Reactions with Other Medications: Like every other hormone, melatonin too can react with other prescribed medications like blood-pressure meds, antidepressants, sedatives, etc. They can backfire and have adverse effects on the body instead.
Self-prescription of melatonin is not recommended due to all the reasons listed here, and seeking out professional help is always advised for proper evaluation.
Getting Help for Your Anxiety
When it comes to issues like panic-attacks and anxiety disorders, usage of only medications like melatonin or simply looking for natural remedies is not enough. It’s essential to look for good therapists for expert guidance regarding certain lifestyle choices and accurate diagnosis of one’s mental health needs.
If concerned about how to manage your anxiety, you can reach out to Premium Legacy Healthcare, a behavioral health facility offering psychological therapy and substance-abuse treatment services, to help you overcome your mental health challenges.