Melatonin And Jet Lag

The use of melatonin is somewhat controversial, not least because its use has yet to be approved by any regulatory body.

In addition, despite many studies conducted over several years, opinion remains divided over whether it actually works or not.

Melatonin is a hormone that occurs naturally in your body and it is released at night to help regulate your sleep-wake cycle.

Taking melatonin at a time when your body would not normally be preparing to sleep can therefore be an effective way of resetting your internal body clock.

Melatonin can be especially helpful if you are traveling from west to east. For example, if the time difference between your point of departure and your destination is say 5 hours, your body clock will be saying that it is 6 pm when it is actually 11 pm and time to go to bed. By taking melatonin in this situation you will trigger the body to 'shut down' for sleep.

In one study a group of travelers was given melatonin for three days prior to departure and again for three days after arrival and reported experiencing much lower levels of fatigue and found that their normal sleeping pattern returned quite quickly.

In a second study of twenty volunteers who traveled regularly between New Zealand and the United Kingdom half the volunteers were given melatonin before departure and after arrival and half the group were given a placebo. The results of the study showed that those given melatonin regained their normal sleeping pattern in about half the time taken by those given the placebo.

On balance melatonin would seem to be of benefit to a significant number of users and it is fair to say that it is worth trying. It is not however a jet lag cure in itself and should be used as just one part of an overall jet lag treatment plan.