More than ever before, Americans have shifted their attention to the excessive consumption of melatonin. To fall asleep, the netizens are looking for aids, and melatonin is seemingly a better option.

According to a recent report published by the American Journal and Medical Association, a vast majority of the people who are taking melatonin are taking it at a dangerous level. Though this may give some temporary relief and rest to the consumer, excess of it can badly affect the overall health.

Polina / Pexels / Instant gratification and temporary relaxation are the obvious short-term benefits of melatonin.

However, reports from the US Census reveal that melatonin and other sleeping drugs were not that popular in the US in the pre-covid era. Research back these stats and argue that the COVID-19 pandemic has added salt to the wounds. Depression, anxiety, and restlessness became commonplace as the coronavirus hit. The statistics drastically increased from 0.9% to 2.7 in late 2019.

Regardless of the fact that the consumption of melatonin has increased, many psychologists and psychiatrists are not surprised. Naima Covassin is one of the PhDs who are seemingly okay with the increase in melatonin consumption. “Restlessness and insomnia are the most underreported disorders,” she argues. According to her, way more people than the mentioned stats are struggling with lack of sleep, depression, and anxiety.

Others suffer loneliness. “Put them all together, you will get sleeping aids like melatonin. Doctors should not be worried about Americans overconsuming drugs like melatonin,” she concludes. Nevertheless, the oft-asked question remains:

Cottonbro / Pexels / Insomnia is the most underreported disorder today.

HOW RISKY IS MELATONIN FOR HEALTH?
According to psychologists and doctors, if melatonin does have any benefit, it is the short-term relief. That is the only proven data that American Journal and Medical Association has to display. Likewise, as for the consumption, all doctors unanimously agree that melatonin – in all shapes – should not be consumed more than 5 milligrams every day.

Anna / Pexels / Overdosing melatonin does not guarantee better sleep. It rather has grave side effects.

Commenting on the health risks of melatonin, Naima Cavassin asserts that some long-term disorders are very likely to happen as a direct result of excessive consumption of melatonin. Regardless, studies are on the way to digging out the exact disorders and health risks that can result from the overconsumption of melatonin.

However, some of the most obvious side effects are drowsiness, feeling lazy and down, and nausea. Some doctors argue that if one goes above the 5 milligrams per day limit, chances are that his bones and vital body organs will become fragile. Consequently, ailments like wrist pain, back pain, and weak ankles will get birth.

One of the shocking pieces of evidence from science is that taking more melatonin does not mean that it will do you any additional good. Cavassin asserts, “Some patients wrongly assume that if they take more melatonin. They will have more relaxed and long sleep – which is not true. The effect of 5 milligrams and 12 milligrams of melatonin are the same. So, do not overdo it.”