Melatonin Alternatives: 4 Natural Sleep Supplements

Sleep quality may be enhanced through natural sleep supplements like magnesium, glycine, l-theanine, and apigenin—effective melatonin alternatives that optimize physiological conditions for rest. These sleep aids calm the nervous system, support melatonin production, and reduce neural excitability for deeper sleep.

The Physiology of Sleep

Sleep is a vital biological process for restoration, repair, and renewal. It is primarily driven by physiological and hormonal changes occurring at night.

During the morning and daytime, stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline dominate. (1) (2) (3) As the day progresses, stress hormones decline, and there is a gradual shift towards hormones that promote relaxation like serotonin, GABA, and melatonin. (4) (5) (6)

Nervous system activity slowly withers out with a substantial drop in heart rate, breathing rate, body temperature, and brain activity as one approaches sleep. The body undergoes a restorative phase characterized by an increased secretion of human growth hormone (HGH).

Sleep consists of two main categories: non-REM (NREM) and REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, cycling through multiple stages: (7) (8)

Each cycle lasts about 90 minutes, with NREM dominating the early night and REM increasing closer to morning.

How do Sleep Supplements Work?

Getting the body as close to the ideal state that’s conducive to sleep is the main target of many sleep supplements. Numerous pathways exist, primarily targeting the reduction of brain and body activity, supporting an inhibitory role to promote relaxation.

These mechanisms generally fall into three broad categories like calming the nervous system down, supporting the production of sleep hormones, and improving neurotransmitter balance. A more specific list includes:

• Enhancing GABA activity – the main inhibitory neurotransmitter
• Reducing stress hormones – particularly cortisol and adrenaline
• Muscle relaxation – reducing muscle tension and increasing smoothness
• Reducing neural excitability – promoting alpha or theta brainwave state
• Supporting melatonin production – the main sleep hormone
• Elevating serotonin levels and regulating circadian rhythm
• Reducing inflammation and oxidative stress

Enhancing the physiological state is one way to improve sleep. It takes care of the internal factors like muscle tension, brain activity, or sleep hormones. Additionally, there are specific sleep behaviors like having a consistent sleep schedule and sleep environment optimization like sleeping in a cool, dark, and quiet room that can improve sleep further.

Melatonin, Sleep and Circadian Rhythm

The circadian rhythm dictates the sleep-and-wake cycle, aligning daily functions like metabolism, energy, and digestion. Melatonin is one of the key hormones that regulates the internal clock, secreted by the pineal gland.

Morning sunlight decreases melatonin levels and stimulates stress hormones that increase focus and alertness. At nighttime, melatonin increases in response to darkness, promoting deep sleep. (9) (10)

Beyond being fundamental for deep sleep, melatonin has numerous other benefits. The data shows it can exert anti-inflammatory effects, acting as an antioxidant. It plays a role in improving heart health, metabolic function, and protecting from neurodegenerative disorders. (6) (9)

In humans, light intensity of 2500 lux full spectrum or blue light range (460-480 nm) can profoundly suppress melatonin production, shift the rhythm, and impair sleep. (11) (12)

Beyond artificial light, stress or irregular sleeping schedules can cause misalignments in melatonin. Such deficits can deteriorate sleep and reduce mental performance. Aligning light with our natural sleep rhythms, so light during the day and dark during the night is one of the most effective ways to improve melatonin secretion, thus enhancing sleep.

Melatonin Supplementation

Melatonin supplements are used to improve sleep by increasing the levels of melatonin. This helps address sleep disturbances and regulate circadian rhythm, particularly effective for conditions like insomnia, jet lag, sleep disturbances, or shift work.

One study analyzing 23 RCTs showed exogenous melatonin to be an effective tool to improve sleep quality index, particularly in adults with neurodegenerative, metabolic, and respiratory disorders. (13)

Since poor sleep is associated with various health problems, by improving it, melatonin may indirectly improve metabolic and cardiovascular health, (14) (15) (16) however there’s mixed results on melatonin’s effect on glucose stability. (17) (18) (19) Additionally, melatonin has potent anti-inflammatory effects. (20)

The effective dose of melatonin ranges between 0.3 mg – 5 mg.

It seems that melatonin is more effective at improving sleep on days when endogenous levels are lower. Some studies show greater improvements in sleep efficiency with higher (5 mg) than lower (0.3 mg) doses. (21) (22) However, melatonin benefits are not always dose-dependent, meaning more is not always better. The research determining the most effective dose is ongoing.

Lower-doses (0.1-0.3 mg/d) produce near physiological melatonin concentrations, used for internal clock synchronization while higher doses 0.6 – 5 mg are generally used for sleep disorders. (11)

The concerns that supplementing melatonin impairs the body’s natural production of melatonin isn’t strongly supported by science. Studies using 0.5 mg, 5.0 mg, and even higher doses showed no reduction in basal melatonin levels. (23) (24) (25) Melatonin’s effectiveness doesn’t seem to dissipate with continued use, showing low signs of developing tolerance, at least with smaller doses. (22) (26) (27)

Melatonin is considered relatively safe. To minimize risk, it’s generally advised to use lower (physiological) doses only on nights when necessary.

To complement its effects and improve sleep quality, combining low-dose melatonin with a healthy sleep hygiene—consistent sleep schedule, dark, cool, and quiet room, limited blue light exposure and caffeine intake—works better.

Sleep Supplements

There are various melatonin alternatives that have been shown to improve sleep. Supplements such as adaptogens, minerals, or herbs are referred to as natural sleep aids. They work by creating an optimal internal environment more conducive to sleep. Here is an overview of the supplements with some scientific backing.