To stop taking melatonin, you can either quit cold turkey (as it's not physically addictive) or gradually taper the dose, ideally while improving your sleep hygiene (dim lights, no screens before bed) and under a doctor's guidance, especially for long-term use, to manage potential psychological dependence and support natural sleep patterns.
“Melatonin is not known to be an addictive supplement,” answers Dr. Horvat. “Typically, if someone is concerned that they are having side effects, they can stop the medication altogether.” There's no need to wean yourself off of it.
Unlike many sleep medicines, with melatonin, you are unlikely to become dependent on it or see reduced effectiveness over time. The most common melatonin side effects include: Headache. Dizziness.
What's more, some research suggests very low doses of melatonin may lead to diarrhea and higher doses can make you constipated. This is related to how different doses can impact your gut motility.
Melatonin can be stopped abruptly. No discontinuation effects are documented. Melatonin is not associated to produce tolerance, rebound insomnia or dependence.
Sleep start was later and actual sleep time was shorter during the half dose and stop weeks compared to the treatment weeks. Sleep efficiency deteriorated in the stop week. Dim Light Melatonin Onset was earlier after treatment, but this effect disappeared after the stop week.
Myth. For most people, taking melatonin supplements for a short period of time, such as 1-4 weeks, is all that is needed to get the body back on a normal sleep cycle and able to produce its own melatonin. Melatonin does not need to be taken long term because the body can produce it by itself.
The most common side effects of melatonin supplements are drowsiness and headaches. Many people experience vivid dreams and nightmares while taking melatonin. At higher doses, some people have other side effects including: Feeling confused and disoriented.
Certain features of gut microbiota increase inflammation and dysregulate the immune system in response to treatment with melatonin, damaging the digestive system.
Signs of melatonin overdose include excessive sleepiness, vomiting and trouble breathing. Other side effects of both low and high doses of melatonin can include headaches, excessive sleepiness, blood pressure changes, gastrointestinal problems, changes in other hormone levels and mood problems, McCall says.
You may not be able to sleep without melatonin due to being psychologically dependent on it, the placebo effect making you sleep better on melatonin, or because of poor sleep hygiene. Fall asleep without melatonin by improving your sleep hygiene. This will help your body make all the melatonin it needs.
Ramelteon (Rozerem) is another choice for helping you fall asleep. It's a melatonin receptor agonist. It works in the same area of the body as melatonin — the body's natural sleep hormone — to help promote sleep in a similar way. Side effects: Ramelteon's side effects are generally mild, and it's not habit forming.
People who are pregnant, breastfeeding, have autoimmune disorders, seizure disorders, depression, bleeding issues, or are on certain medications (like blood thinners, blood pressure drugs, diabetes meds, or immunosuppressants) should generally avoid melatonin or consult a doctor first, as it can worsen conditions, interfere with meds, or cause side effects like daytime drowsiness, especially in older adults with dementia.
Doctors often don't prescribe melatonin because strong evidence for its long-term effectiveness and safety is limited, especially for general insomnia, with behavioral therapies like CBT-I preferred as initial treatments, plus concerns exist about unregulated supplement quality (incorrect dosages, contaminants) and unknown long-term effects, particularly in children, where behavioral approaches are usually better. While approved in specific cases (like for children with autism), it's generally a short-term option, not a first-line fix for most adults or kids.
The main analysis found: Among adults with insomnia, those whose electronic health records indicated long-term melatonin use (12 months or more) had about a 90% higher chance of incident heart failure over 5 years compared with matched non-users (4.6% vs. 2.7%, respectively).
Avoid bright lights, especially blue light from electronic devices, in the evening hours as light exposure suppresses melatonin production 1. Install blue light filters on devices or wear amber-tinted glasses 2-3 hours before bedtime to reduce melatonin suppression 1.
Intra-cerebral injection of melatonin inhibits acid and pepsin secretions through vagus cholinergic activity (15). Melatonin increases the release of amylase and pancreas proteins through vagus nerve (16).
How to improve your sleep to improve your gut health
Melatonin has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effect through multiple mechanisms. It reduces macromolecular damage in all organs by scavenging free radicals (Escribano et al., 2014).
Melatonin isn't addictive. You don't become physically dependent on it, develop a tolerance to it, or get withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking it. However, you can become psychologically dependent on melatonin and feel like you can't sleep without it because sleeping without it stresses you out, which keeps you up.
In some cases, melatonin supplements may trigger side effects like vivid dreams, daytime drowsiness, or disruptions in sleep patterns. These unintended outcomes can lead to increased feelings of unease or restlessness, particularly in individuals who are already prone to anxiety.
Taking too much melatonin can result in a "melatonin hangover." Uncomfortable side effects can occur the next day, such as headaches, daytime sleepiness, dizziness, mood changes, upset stomach, intense dreams, disorientation, or confusion.
Reduce Dosage Gradually
If you've been taking melatonin for a while, it's not advisable to stop cold turkey. Instead, gradually reduce your dosage over time. For instance, if you've been taking 10mg of melatonin every night, try reducing it to 5mg for a few nights, then 2.5mg for a few nights, and so on.
Melatonin is a hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycle. Milk, nuts, cherries, fish, rice, goji berries, and oats contain melatonin. Avoid spicy food, chocolate, tomatoes, pizza, and citrus fruits before bed.
Melatonin does not have many common side effects but there are things you can do to help cope with them: