

Applying melatonin gel to the skin before sun exposure seems to help prevent sunburn. Taking melatonin by mouth might reduce the amount of sedatives needed for some medical procedures in children. Taking melatonin by mouth or under the tongue somewhat reduces anxiety before surgery in adults. It's not clear if melatonin helps to treat migraines.

Taking melatonin by mouth before bed can prevent migraines in adults and children. But it might not help shorten the time it takes for people with jet lag to fall asleep. Taking melatonin by mouth can improve certain symptoms of jet lag such as alertness and reduce daytime sleepiness and tiredness. It also seems to be more helpful in older adults and those with certain other conditions. It's not clear if it affects the amount of time spent sleeping. Taking melatonin by mouth, short-term, seems to shorten the time it takes to fall asleep in people with insomnia, but only by about 7-12 minutes. Immediate-release products don't seem to work. Taking the controlled-release form of melatonin by mouth before bedtime seems to lower blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. It also reduces pain during menstruation, intercourse, and while going to the bathroom. Taking melatonin by mouth seems to reduce pain and painkiller use in adults with this condition. A painful uterine disorder ( endometriosis).In children receiving a medication called sevoflurane during surgery, taking melatonin by mouth before anesthesia might help to prevent anxiety and agitation while waking up. Confusion and agitation after surgery.Taking high doses of melatonin by mouth or as a shot, administered by a healthcare provider along with chemotherapy or other cancer treatments, might reduce tumor size and improve survival rates in some people with cancer. Taking melatonin by mouth might reduce sleep problems in people taking beta-blocker drugs. Sleep disturbance caused by certain blood pressure medicine ( beta blocker-induced insomnia).


This hormone regulates the body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm. The brain makes melatonin in response to darkness and stops making it when exposed to light. Melatonin is a hormone that doctors sometimes call the sleep hormone.
