Melatonin is a hormone that your body naturally produces, mainly by the pineal gland in your brain. You’ll also find melatonin in other areas like the eyes, bone marrow, and gut. Often referred to as the “sleep hormone,” melatonin doesn’t directly make you fall asleep, but it signals to your body that it’s time to wind down. This helps you relax, making it easier to drift off.

Melatonin supplements are also widely used by people struggling with insomnia or jet lag and are available over the counter in many countries. Beyond sleep, melatonin also acts as an antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties.

How does Melatonin work?

Melatonin works hand-in-hand with your body’s internal clock, known as your circadian rhythm. This rhythm tells you when to sleep, wake, and even eat. Besides sleep regulation, melatonin also plays a role in managing your body temperature, blood pressure, glucose levels, and some hormones.

At night, as it gets darker, melatonin levels rise, signalling that it’s time to rest. In the morning, exposure to light lowers melatonin levels, helping you feel alert and awake. It interacts with receptors in your brain to slow down nerve activity and reduce dopamine, the hormone that keeps you awake.

Can Melatonin Production Be Disrupted?

Various factors can disrupt your natural melatonin production at night, including alcohol, caffeine, smoking, certain medications, and exposure to too much light—especially blue light from devices. Supplementing with melatonin may help balance these levels and reset your sleep cycle.

The "Sleep Hormone" - How Does It Work?

Research shows that taking melatonin before bed can reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and increase your overall sleep time. A review of 11 studies found that melatonin shortened sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep) by around 3 minutes and extended sleep duration by about 30 minutes compared to a placebo.

Melatonin can also help with jet lag, a condition where your internal clock is out of sync with a new time zone. People who work night shifts may experience similar symptoms. Research suggests that melatonin can help synchronize your body’s clock with the new schedule.

Before trying melatonin, it’s important to first focus on good sleep habits like maintaining a regular sleep schedule, limiting alcohol and caffeine, and avoiding bright screens before bed.

Additional health benefits of melatonin

While melatonin is mainly known for its role in sleep, it has other potential health benefits as well.

Supports eye health: Melatonin’s antioxidant properties may lower the risk of age-related eye diseases like macular degeneration.

Helps treat acid reflux and GERD: Melatonin may protect the lining of your esophagus, helping to reduce symptoms of acid reflux.

Reduces symptoms of tinnitus: Some studies suggest that melatonin may help manage tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and improve sleep quality.

Alleviates migraines: Melatonin may help reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks by blocking pain pathways.

The way you act and certain traits that are unique to you, are what draw people to you. Whether it is the way you talk or meet people, or other mannerisms, your personality has a big part to play in how you are perceived. While your personality obviously has a lot of sway in your social life, there are many other ways it can affect your life.

Having a fun and inviting personality can be a bonus point for your personal and work relationships. People love interacting with you and generally enjoy your company. But could it also be a bonus point for your health? Personality and mental health go hand in hand, and there is research to prove so. Here are some ways ‘good’ personalities benefit you and ‘bad’ one negatively affect your health.

Optimism

If you're optimistic, you tend to see the bright side of life. According to a 2019 study published in PNAS this helps you live healthier and longer. Optimistic people have less inflammation in their bodies and healthier cholesterol. They also take better care of themselves by exercising and eating well. When you're sick, being optimistic helps you cope better and feel less stressed.

Conscientiousness

Being conscientious means you're organized, responsible, and careful. According to a 2013 Health Psychology study, people with this trait often live longer and are healthier. They make good choices, like exercising and eating healthy. They also go to the doctor regularly and follow their advice. This helps them recover faster from illnesses and feel less stressed.

Extroversion

Extroverts love being around people. According to a study published in the 2020 APA PsycNet, this social connection can help lower stress and inflammation. They tend to be more active and happier, which is good for their health. Even if you're shy, having close friends and family can keep you healthy. Staying active, even by yourself, can also help.

Openness to Experience

People who are open to new things are curious and creative. According to Social Psychological and Personality Science 2014 study, they're often happier and handle stress better. This leads to better physical health. Trying new things, like traveling or learning a hobby, can make you more open and improve your well-being.

Agreeableness

Being agreeable means you're kind and helpful. Berkeley Well-Being Institute explains that people with this trait have good relationships and less stress. They also tend to make healthy choices and handle stress well. If you want to be more agreeable, try being more compassionate and listening to others.

Negative Traits and Health Risks

Similar to how positive traits benefit our health, negative traits can trigger many issues. Many of these traits can arise due to mental health issues and you should not hesitate to reach out for help if you are going through them.

Hostility

If you're hostile, you're often angry and unfriendly. This leads to stress and isolation, which is bad for your health. High stress weakens your immune system and increases your risk of heart problems. Learning to control your anger and manage stress can help.

Neuroticism

Neurotic people worry a lot and feel anxious. This can lead to mental health problems and weaken your body. Constant stress from worrying can cause health issues. Learning to relax and think positively can help you feel better.

Emotional Suppression

Hiding your feelings can make you feel stressed and anxious. If you always bottle up your emotions, it can hurt your heart and weaken your immune system. It's important to find healthy ways to express your feelings.

Social Inhibition

If you're shy, you might avoid social situations. This can lead to loneliness and stress, which can cause health problems. Slowly facing your fears and getting help from a therapist can make you feel more comfortable around people.

Self-Centeredness

People who are self-centered only think about themselves. This can lead to loneliness and relationship problems, which cause stress. This stress can hurt your heart and immune system. Trying to be more kind and caring can help you feel better and have better relationships.

People have their own unique way of doing things, even sleeping. Having traits like snoring when you are sleeping, talking or mumbling occasionally is normal and not out of the ordinary.

When you sleep, your body is busy fixing itself and getting ready for the next day. Your brain also works to clean up and store memories. But, for some people, a part of the brain that controls movement can turn on while they're still asleep. This is sleepwalking. People who sleepwalk might walk around, talk, and even have their eyes open. They look like they're awake, but they're not.

The Cleveland Clinic explains that if you try to wake them up suddenly, they might get confused or upset. So, it's better to gently guide them back to bed. This helps keep them safe from getting hurt.

Sleepwalking isn't always like you see in movies, with someone walking with their arms out. Sometimes, people do normal things like getting dressed or trying to eat, but they might be clumsy. They could even try to do dangerous things, like drive or climb out a window. What's strange is that they won't remember any of it the next day. It happens during a deep part of sleep. It's considered a sleep problem, like sleep talking. It's important to know that people sleepwalking are not doing it on purpose, and they are not fully aware of what they are doing.

What Causes Sleepwalking, Can You Treat It?

Sometimes, sleepwalking runs in families, so it can be inherited. But it can also happen because of other things. If you don't get enough sleep or if you're really stressed, you might sleepwalk. If you hurt your head, that can also cause it. Drinking alcohol or taking certain medicines can also make it happen. And some sleep problems, like when you stop breathing for a bit while sleeping, can also cause sleepwalking. Kids sleepwalk more often than adults, and usually, they stop doing it when they get older.

If you only sleepwalk once in a while, you probably don't need any special treatment. The most important thing is to make sure your home is safe. Put away sharp things, lock the doors, and close the windows. If you're sleepwalking a lot and it's making you tired during the day or bothering other people, you should see a doctor. They can figure out why you're sleepwalking. They might suggest talking to a therapist to help with stress, or they might give you medicine to help you sleep better. If your medicine is causing it, they might change it. Also, having a good bedtime routine and not drinking alcohol before bed can help.

Unwinding after work is a very important and is consider one of the best parts the day. The stress of work can affect the mental health of workers. According to American Institute of Stress, 47% of workers say that majority of their stress comes from work and 77% believe that work-related stress gas negatively affected their mental health.

Sometimes, you just need a break, this is where "Bed rotting" comes in. It is when you stay in bed for a long time, not to sleep, but to relax. This can be good for your health and if you're really stressed or tired, it might also help you calm down. It's like pressing a pause button which feels like a have permission to relax. It's a way to give yourself time to recharge when you feel like you're running on empty. It's a break from all the things you have to do every day.

Potential Disadvantages and Concerns

Staying in bed too long can cause problems. If you do it for more than a day or two, it might be a sign that you're feeling really down. You also miss out on spending time with friends and family. And if you don't do your work or go to school, you might feel even more stressed later. What you do in bed matters too. If you spend all your time on your phone, it can make you feel worse. You need to be careful not to let "bed rotting" become a habit. It's better to do it every once in a while, not all the time. In a 2005 review ‘Deconditioning in the hospitalized elderly’ the author explained how prolonged bed rest could mean a decline mental state as well as a functional loss in daily activities.

Your bed should be for sleeping. If you spend a lot of time in bed doing other things, your brain gets confused. It won't know when it's time to sleep. This can make it hard to fall asleep at night. Also, when you stay in bed, you're not moving around. This can make it harder to sleep well. If you watch TV or work in bed right before bedtime, your mind will be too active to fall asleep quickly. It's better to do those things somewhere else and only go to bed when you're ready to sleep.

Link on Mental Health

If you're feeling sad or worried, you might want to stay in bed all day. But this might make you feel worse. When you don't do anything, you stay in the same bad mood. It can make you feel even more sad and lonely. It's important to do things that make you feel good, even if you don't feel like it. The Sleep Foundation explains that moving around and doing fun things can help you feel better. If you stay in bed too much, it can become a bad habit and make you feel worse in the long run.

If you want to try "bed rotting," do it the right way. Do things that help you relax, like reading or meditating. Set a timer so you don't stay in bed too long. Think of it as a short break, not a way to live all the time. If you start to feel really sad or don't want to leave your bed, talk to someone. It's important to get help if you need it. "Bed rotting" should be a way to feel better, not a way to avoid your problems.