What’s melatonin?

Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally produced by the pineal gland in the brain, which is a pea-sized gland located in the upper-middle section of your brain. Its purpose is to essentially tell the body when to fall asleep and when to wake up. It does this by increasing the amount of melatonin in your system as the sun sets, making you feel sleepy, and decreasing the melatonin in your system as the sun rises, helping you wake up in the morning. When days get shorter and darker during winter months, your body may produce melatonin in different amounts and at different times.

Melatonin isn’t the only element impacting your sleep – in fact, it’s a part of another natural, internal process called the circadian rhythm. Also known as your sleep-wake cycle, your circadian rhythm is your brain’s internal sleep clock. When it’s working as it should, you get drowsy around the same time each night and you wake up around the same time each morning. However, your circadian rhythm may be different than those around you. So-called “night owls” and “morning birds” have different circadian rhythms, but by keeping predictable sleep schedules, both types should wake feeling refreshed.

Ways to keep your circadian rhythm on track include sticking to a regular sleep schedule, allowing plenty of time for quality sleep, and exposing your body to natural sunlight during the day. Studies have shown that light is very important, as it sets our circadian rhythm via dedicated light sensors within the eye. Our eye detects daytime & nighttime within our environment and adjusts the body's circadian rhythm so that it corresponds with the time of day. You can disrupt your circadian rhythm by staying up later than usual, sleeping in on weekends, and frequently traveling across time zones. A disrupted circadian rhythm can leave you feeling groggy when you wake up or not falling asleep when you should be asleep.

Although your body already makes melatonin on its own, you can also purchase melatonin products. These can be an appropriate way to increase the amount of melatonin in your system when you’re having trouble falling asleep. Supplemental melatonin can help you fall asleep. Melatonin products are also a great choice when experiencing daylight savings time, jet lag, or schedule changes that may affect your circadian rhythm. For example, if you have a job that disrupts a typical sleep schedule, melatonin products can be a good tool to help reset your body’s sleep-wake cycle so that your body can get the rest it needs.

While there are all kinds of melatonin products out on the market, many vary by formula and melatonin dosage. In Canada, a melatonin dose can range from less than 1mg to 10mg per dose. A common question that comes up is: does more melatonin per dose in product make you fall asleep faster? Some researchers say the answer is no – some research shows that beyond 3mg per dose, ingesting more melatonin into your system does not help you fall asleep faster. In fact, it shows that increasing your melatonin dosage beyond this amount only ensures that it will take longer to return to normal levels. The longer it takes melatonin to leave your body, the more likely you will wake up with grogginess the next morning. If you’re considering a melatonin product, our recommendation is to consult your healthcare provider first, and start at a low melatonin dose to see how it affects your body & sleep.

So how is ZzzQuil PURE Zzzs different from other melatonin products. It works by helping to re-set the body’s sleep-wake cycle and helps you fall asleep. What makes us different is our mindfully crafted formula. ZzzQuil PURE Zzzs can help you fall asleep and wake refreshed. It’s a great option for travelers or for any time you feel that your circadian rhythm has been thrown off.

Now that you know what melatonin is and how it affects your sleep-wake cycle, you’ll be better able to decide if you should take a melatonin product before bed to help you fall asleep. When that happens, don’t spend the night counting sheep instead of getting sleep. The sleep experts at Vicks designed ZzzQuil PURE Zzzs Melatonin as a non-habit forming sleep solution so you can wake up refreshed and take on your tomorrow. To ensure this product is right for you, always read and follow the label.