Best Melatonin Supplements 2024: Tablets, Gummies, And More

Benefits Of Melatonin Supplements

You may wonder what are the health benefits, if any, of taking melatonin supplements? Some of the main benefits^[6] of taking melatonin include easing jet lag, treating the delayed sleep-wake disorder, treating some sleep disorders in children, and even using it for anxiety before or after a significantly stressful event.

Jet Lag

Jet lag typically occurs when you are traveling within different time zones. This can take a toll on your body and may cause insomnia-like symptoms. For instance, you may just feel overall ill, unable to fall or stay asleep, daytime sleepiness, and even some digestive issues. 

Some recommend that you take melatonin before bedtime when traveling to help with jet lag and prevent further symptoms. 

Delayed Sleep-Wake Disorder

Individuals with the delayed sleep-wake disorder typically have a hard time falling asleep for about two to four hours during the universal bedtime and, in turn, have a hard time waking up during desired morning time. Some individuals will take melatonin to help them fall asleep during desired times. 

Science-based evidence^[7] suggests that daily strategically timed low doses of melatonin are beneficial and come with less risk. With that being said, starting with a low dose is ideal to see what works for you. This may help create a healthy sleep-wake cycle for you. 

Sleep Disorders In Children

If you are a parent, you know that any sleep disruptions in children can cause^[6] a multitude of undesirable side effects. When your child is not sleeping well, they are more likely to have behavioral problems, trouble functioning with daily tasks, and have a poor quality of life in general. Additionally, If your child is not sleeping, you are more than likely not getting healthy sleep as well. 

Some children have certain conditions that can hinder sleep patterns, such as atopic dermatitis, asthma, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or autism spectrum disorder. If you have already developed good bedtime habits and have tried everything, a good option is trying melatonin supplements as a sleep aid. Research^[8] has found that lack of sleep with any of the above conditions can worsen symptoms of these disorders.  

But don’t fret; studies^[8] have found that 3-6 mg of melatonin per night reduces sleep disruptions and increases total sleep duration. Therefore, children with these conditions may benefit from a daily melatonin supplement.

Anxiety Before Or After A Surgical Procedure

As you know, any type of surgical procedure, no matter how severe, can be nerve-wracking. Many individuals suffer from anxiety symptoms prior to and even after surgical procedures. 

In fact, studies^[9] have found that melatonin may be equally as effective as midazolam, which is a sedative used prior to medical procedures to produce sleepiness and reduce anxiety symptoms and reduce preoperative anxiety in adults. 

In conclusion, melatonin has many different benefits and can be used for many different things. 

Potential Side Effects

Research^[1] has found that close to 50 or more million Americans suffer from some form of sleep disorder or wakefulness that hinders their daily life. You now know how important quality sleep is for you and that melatonin supplements can help improve sleep quality, but does it come with any risk or side effects?

Most melatonin supplements are perfectly safe for healthy adults or children. However, research^[10] has found that only mild side effects have been presented when using melatonin, such as dizziness, headaches, nausea, and sleepiness. No current studies have found that melatonin should cause any serious side effects. 

However, these studies have only been concluded on short-term melatonin use. Further investigation is needed for the long-term use of melatonin in children and adults. Due to no reported studies, pregnant or nursing individuals should not take melatonin. As always, we highly recommend that you contact your professional healthcare provider before starting any supplement or if you are taking a prescription medication. 

Furthermore, oral melatonin is a synthetic hormone and may have the potential to affect your natural hormonal levels or production. 

How To Choose The Best Melatonin Supplements

When choosing a melatonin supplement, there are many things you may want to consider. We recommend that you consider a supplement that is third-party tested, using only melatonin or science-backed ingredients and no artificial flavors or ingredients. 

Additionally, you want to ensure that this supplement is safe to take with your healthcare provider and will not interact with any other medication or supplements you are taking. Furthermore, melatonin comes in many forms, such as pills, gummies, and liquid melatonin, so if you have an issue taking pills, there are other options available to you. 

Third-Party Testing

Third-party testing is ideal for any dietary supplement that you may purchase. When a supplement is third-party tested, it is tested by an accredited laboratory to provide unbiased results from an outside party. Therefore, this accredited laboratory vouches for the product’s quality and authenticity of ingredients. 

Quality Ingredients

Along with third-party testing, you will want to ensure your melatonin supplement is using quality ingredients, especially if your melatonin supplement contains other forms of vitamins and botanicals. These ingredients should be science-backed and tested for quality. 

Melatonin Dosage

Along with different forms of melatonin supplements, melatonin comes in a variety of different dosages. How much melatonin you take will vary depending on your individual needs. We recommend that you start this supplement at the lowest dosage to see how it affects you first. This dose can range anywhere from 3-to 10 mg of melatonin. 

Product Reputation

We also recommend that you review the product ratings. All of the above melatonin supplements have 4+ star ratings or higher. This helps ensure that you are purchasing a product that brings users desired results and benefits. 

 Therefore, if the product is transparent about what is within the dosage, has a great reputation, and is subject to quality standards, then it would be the best choice. 

Final Thought

All and all, melatonin supplements seem to be an excellent option for those who are suffering from sleep disruptions and poor-quality sleep. You want to make sure that you are getting enough sleep at night and quality sleep to be your best self. If you are not getting an adequate amount of sleep, have trouble staying asleep, or experience a lot of jet lag from regular travel, then melatonin is a great supplemental option for you. 

When starting any new supplement, you should speak with your doctor and start slowly. Most of the supplements offer money-back guarantee options, so if the product does not work for you, you have the opportunity to send it back and try something else. Furthermore, melatonin is great for adults, but it may also help your children if they are having issues with sleep. 

After reviewing the above melatonin supplements, we have found that the five melatonin supplements discussed are the top options available on the market today.