GPs can prescribe melatonin, especially in countries like Australia where it's Schedule 4 (prescription-only), to ensure safe, supervised use for specific conditions like insomnia in older adults or certain developmental disorders in children, due to lack of long-term safety data, potential for misuse as "sleep candy," and concerns about unregulated online products containing unknown ingredients, making medical guidance essential for dosage and monitoring.
Melatonin isn't entirely banned in Australia, but it's a prescription-only medicine for most uses, especially for children, due to safety concerns about unregulated online products, significant overdoses in kids (often mistaking gummies for lollies), and concerns about long-term effects, leading to warnings and restrictions on importing unregistered versions that lack Australian quality standards and have inaccurate dosages. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) only approves it for specific conditions like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children, while parents often buy unregulated versions online, creating a public health issue.
Melatonin can sometimes be prescribed to help with longer-term sleep problems in some children and younger adults. In Sussex GPs can only prescribe for these patients under the recommendation of an approved NHS specialist. Melatonin is available on prescription only.
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.
New TGA safety advice on imported melatonin
One product contained more than 400% of the labelled content and another containing no melatonin at all. The TGA recommends that consumers stop using unregistered melatonin products immediately and take any remaining items to their local pharmacy for safe disposal.
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.
Buy Melatonin Wagner Health 2mg Tablets 30 (Aged 55+ only) - Melatonin (S3) online at Chemist Warehouse.
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.
Furthermore, ramelteon was found to be about 10 times more potent than melatonin in promoting sleep.
10 hours before bed: No more caffeine. 3 hours before bed: No more food or alcohol. 2 hours before bed: No more work. 1 hour before bed: No more screen time (shut off all phones, TVs and computers).
The Z drugs. The Z drugs are non-benzodiazepine sleeping pills, used to treat severe insomnia (difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep). They are known as the Z drugs because their generic names begin with the letter 'z'. The Z drugs currently licensed for prescription in the UK are zolpidem and zopiclone.
Studies have shown that taking a melatonin supplement can improve sleep. That benefit may reduce anxiety symptoms by helping you get more rest. However, experts speculate that the hormone may also improve anxiety symptoms more directly.
Get sunlight in the morning
Getting exposure to sunlight early in the morning can make you more alert during the day. It can also trigger your body to produce nighttime melatonin earlier, so you feel sleepy earlier at night. Sunlight has additional benefits that might contribute to better sleep.
Melatonin might not work for you if you're taking it at the wrong time, you're expecting it to work like a traditional sleep aid, you've got poor sleep hygiene or an irregular sleep schedule, you're stressed, or you've got a sleep disorder.
Primary care should therefore not provide an NHS prescription for this. Primary Care should refer patients to the appropriate Specialist Service in line with existing referral criteria (i.e. for the assessment and treatment of suspected Sleep Apnoea, Severe and Enduring Mental Illness and Neurological disease).
Suvorexant is the first orexin receptor antagonist to be marketed in Australia. The drug is taken within 30 minutes of bedtime. This should be at least seven hours before the patient plans to get up again. The maximum drug concentration is reached in two hours.
Daridorexant is one of a relatively new class of drugs that have been developed for the treatment of insomnia. Its mechanism of action differs from many of the older insomnia treatments. Studies have shown that it can help people to fall asleep faster at night and stay asleep longer during the night.
As a precursor to serotonin and melatonin, L-tryptophan may work as a melatonin alternative by prompting your body to produce sleep hormones. Studies suggest L-tryptophan supplements help decrease the time spent awake after initially falling asleep (wake after sleep onset) and support a healthy sleep-wake cycle.
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.
The most commonly prescribed class of medication for insomnia is the so-called z-drugs, zaleplon (Sonata), zolpidem (Ambien), and eszopiclone (Lunesta).
If you correctly take melatonin 2-3 hours before you want to fall asleep, but you continue to be exposed to bright light or “blue light” (such as every electronic screen you own, from your mobile phone to the TV), your body is getting mixed messages, and taking melatonin won't help.
Conclusions: In a large, multinational real-world cohort rigorously matched on >40 baseline variables, long-term melatonin supplementation in insomnia was associated with an 89% higher hazard of incident heart failure, a three-fold increase in HF-related hospitalizations, and a doubling of all-cause mortality over 5 ...
In Australia, the best melatonin depends on your needs: Circadin (prescription for under 55s, OTC for over 55s) is a slow-release, natural-mimicking option for primary insomnia, while compounded or TGA-approved products are safest, as many imported supplements have quality/dosage issues, according to Healthdirect and the TGA. For reliable quality, stick to prescription forms or reputable Australian pharmacies; avoid unregulated online imports due to potential for inaccurate dosing, advises Sleep Health Foundation and TGA.
The usual starting dose is one 2mg slow release tablet taken 30 minutes to 1 hour before bedtime. Sometimes the dose may gradually be increased to 2 to 3 tablets before bedtime, depending on how well it works and whether you have any side effects. The maximum dose is 5 tablets (10mg) once daily.
The cost of melatonin 5 mg modified release tablet, 30
What you pay for melatonin 5 mg modified release tablet, 30 is determined by your entitlement. The Medicare Card price is $31.6, the Private price is $155.56, the Entitlement Card price is $7.7 and the Safety Net price is $0.