Melatonin

Hello,
My husband and I use Melatonin for those nights when we can’t seem to sleep – though in 2020 those nights have increased… I noticed Lia said that we shouldn’t be using them frequently, and I wanted to know why. Aren’t they a natural hormone? Thanks!

Hi Sarah,
While melatonin taken occasionally can certainly help with sleep, we’d love to help you fall asleep without relying on it every night. Setting up your environment for a restful night’s sleep (proper temperature, noise reduction or a white noise machine, and a dark room can help) and following a therapeutic sleep routine (limit blue light, wind down, relax with a book or bath) can go a long way. Limit caffeine, especially in the afternoon, and try to workout most days since both of these things can also help you fall asleep faster. You can also try eating foods rich in melatonin like tart cherries, almonds, eggs, and fish for dinner or close to bedtime to assist with sleep. Herbal teas are another great sleep aid – look for herbal teas or blends with lavender, chamomile, catnip, valerian root and passionflower.

We also wrote a blog post on this recently – you can check it out here: https://prescribe-nutrition.com/blog/7-foods-to-help-you-sleep/.

Let me know if you have any other questions or need any more tips! I love this topic since sleep affects so many other areas of our lives, including what and how much we eat!