Melatonin Shows Sleep Benefit When Administered During the Waking Day

Orlando, FL (June 21, 1999) -- Melatonin, a hormone released in humans during the hours of darkness (biological night) has been hypothesized to play a significant role in sleep regulation.A study conducted by researchers at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School tested the hypothesis that melatonin is only effective in promoting sleep when administered during the time frame of the normal waking day.

Thirty-six healthy young men and women were given supplements of low dose melatonin orally.  Each subject was admitted to the hospital for a 27-day inpatient study.  Their bedtimes and waketimes were varied.  The environment was free of information about the time of day, so that they were scheduled to sleep many different times of day and night, simulating the sleep difficulties encountered with jet lag or rotating shift work.

The study found that oral melatonin did not markedly improve sleep (versus placebo) when the bedtimes and waketimes were aligned with the timing of the body's own release of melatonin (i.e. during the biological night).   However, melatonin significantly increased the amount of sleep obtained when sleeping at times of minimal or no internal melatonin production (times which correspond to daytime).

This 4-year clinical trial provides evidence that the efficacy of even a low dose of oral melatonin as a sleep-promoting substance is highly dependent on the timing of the sleep relative to the internal 24-hour biological clock, which governs the production of melatonin.  The data also suggest that there may be different responses to oral melatonin in men and women. The research team plans to follow up on these findings to see if they also hold for older adults.

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