Heard about the melatonin craze? I have, but haven’t tried it until recently. Apparently, melatonin is the best friend of anyone that is suffering insomnia or just general unsleepiness. Until my own recent melatonin experience, I was skeptical. How can an all natural supplement possibly knock me out better than or as well as my prescription meds? Well you might be asking the same thing. But believe me – it works!

So what is melatonin?
According to our friends at WebMD, melatonin is a horomone that is produced naturally within our brains. Great – my brain seems to do a pretty good job in general, but sometimes it can use a boost. This is where supplements come in. When our melatonin levels are not at normal levels, we can experience some difficulty falling asleep. We’ve all been there, right? Considering melatonin is the key component that helps control sleep and wake cycles, it seems pretty brilliant that the all-knowing scientists out there would advise us to try melatonin supplements out to help with sleep problems.

Where can melatonin be found?
Though melatonin is produced naturally in the brain, it can also be found in some of the things you might find in your own pantry. Melatonin is found in many different foods, such as meats, grains, fruits, and vegetables. But if your normal grocery shopping doesn’t provide enough melatonin to really make a difference in sleep regulation, you can also find it in many different natural supplements that are available at your local drugstore.

How safe are melatonin supplements?
This was the number one question in my mind when determining what sleep therapy to try out. You can find supplements for pretty much everything these days, and I was a little scared to take something that supplements a horomone that is already produced in my own brain. Yikes, science is everywhere! But with melatonin, there should be no fear. Supplements that are available for consumption are highly safe, considering they must pass a battery of tests and quality regulations. It is best to use brands to that offer melatonin levels of 0.2 to 20.0 mg, for adults. Also be sure that you are taking melatonin that is in man-made form. And of course, it is advisable to alert your doctor that you are taking these supplements just to be safe.

What are some recommended melatonin supplements?
As with any item or supplement on the market, there are many choices out there.. and the number of these choices can cause some real confusion. According to WebMD, you can buy melatonin supplements without a prescription at most health food stores, drugstores, and online stores. What have I tried? Thanks for asking! See below my recommendations:
- Dream Water – A yummy zero-calorie sleep beverage that put me right to sleep just after 20 minutes!
- Natrol Melatonin 3mg – An easy to swallow pill from a brand that I have trusted for years.
- Natrol Liquid Melatonin – another great melatonin product from Natrol. Easy to take, and 100% vegetarian!

Whatever melatonin supplement you decide to try, rest assured that you will find rest faster and easier than you ever imagine. Melatonin is definitely our sleep friend!