Home Women's HealthMenopause Benefits of melatonin in menopause

Benefits of melatonin in menopause

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on
Melatonin

Much has been said about melatonin. Lately, many benefits have been attributed to it, but are the benefits of melatonin somewhat secondary to having a better sleep?

Melatonin is a hormone that our body usually produces and that fundamentally regulates the functions that are performed both when you sleep and when you are awake, which is crucial in all stages of life and even more so when the hormonal system is decreasing.

Our unhealthy habits often cause melatonin levels to decline over the years. That is why many advise artificially incorporating it at menopause, but you should know that it is not a miracle medication since it can also cause adverse effects. Now, let me tell you something fantastic: you can increase your production naturally! How? Find everything you need to know about the benefits of melatonin in menopause in the following FastlyHealarticle.

What is melatonin, and what is it for

Melatonin is also known as the sleep hormone. Our body secretes it cyclically: in small quantities in the last hours of the afternoon and more significant in the previous period of the night.

Its best-known effect is to help maintain a good rest, but in reality, its primary function is to regulate the processes that the body performs during the day and night. That is why it affects different structures in our bodies.

Melatonin is not something exclusive to human beings, and you can also ingest it if you incorporate different herbs, fruits, and vegetables into your diet, such as:

  • Strawberries.
  • Grapes.
  • Apples
  • Oranges
  • Cherries
  • Tomatoes.
  • Coles.
  • Pepper.
  • Walnuts
  • Pistachios
  • Integral rice.
  • St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum).
  • Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza uralensis).
  • Matricaria (Tanacetum parthenium).

In the following article, you can continue to see how to produce melatonin naturally.

It is also artificially synthesized and is often prescribed for different sleep disorders. Among the most common indications are:

  • People with rotating shifts.
  • Insomnia in older adults.
  • Delayed sleep (falling asleep late and waking up late).
  • Jet lag.

Benefits of melatonin in menopause

Melatonin is mainly beneficial to accommodate the sleep-wake cycle, which is essential for proper body function.

During menopause, it may be that the production of melatonin decreases, but this has not only to do with age: the habits you have are critical so that melatonin continues to be produced in sufficient quantities during your life.

It is not true that by turning 50, your body should get worse and worse. If you take care of it properly, you will feel great well-being that will accompany you throughout your life. Later, I will give you some tips to maintain a peaceful sleep.

How can melatonin help you?

It is a hormone that affects different structures and functions of the body. Therefore, it has been attributed a large number of benefits :

  • Stimulate other hormones.
  • Antirust.
  • Reduces the formation of clots.
  • Anticancerígena.
  • Facilitates the absorption of nutrients.
  • Improves sexual activity.
  • Stimulates defenses.
  • Reduces gastric acid.

You should know that all these benefits are achieved when you get your rest to be restorative, and this does not necessarily depend on the consumption of artificial melatonin.

Other positive effects that have been described concerning the proper functioning of the sleep-wake cycle are:

  • Regulation of body metabolism: your body does not work the same day or night. During the day, the functions have more to do with the absorption and use of nutrients, and at night they perform, for example, cleaning tasks. This is why it is so important to sleep during the night and from the first hours of it, since between 11 pm and 2 am, the body “resets,” which does not happen properly if you go to bed later.
  • It helps fat tissue be eliminated more efficiently: this could help you lose weight more quickly but be careful if your diet is rich in fat, your body weight increases anyway. Additionally, melatonin has been shown to reduce appetite in people suffering from obesity.

If the latter prompts you to consume it, keep in mind that it is not a miracle medication since if your eating and sleeping habits are not healthy, you will not be able to acquire these promising consequences fully.

How to improve your melatonin production?

The benefits of melatonin in the body are tremendous, but more extraordinary is that your habits help you produce all that your body needs. In these simple tips, you can find what you need to improve your sleep:

  • Sleep 6 to 8 hours a day. No more, no less. It is what the body needs to achieve balance and well-being.
  • Go to sleep between 10 pm and 11 pm. Of course, this varies depending on the geographic location and season of the year you are in, but as a general rule, you should already be in bed about 3-4 hours after dark.
  • Do not sleep during the day. If you sleep during the day, you favor rhinosinusitis, diabetes, depression, obesity.
  • If you feel fatigued, you can rest for about 15 minutes, but not those monumental naps that resemble a night’s sleep.
  • If you can’t sleep at night because you have rotating shifts, you must have breaks to compensate for it. Otherwise, your body will undoubtedly suffer the consequences.
  • If you must sleep during the day because you have worked at night, you should only sleep half the time (that is, 4 hours instead of 8) and hold on to sleep a little until you can rest the hours you need at night.
  • Have dinner early. You cannot rest appropriately with a digestive tract full of food. That is why it is recommended to have an early dinner: about 3 or 4 hours before bed. At night your body needs to cleanse itself, not digest. Our habits have moved away from what we need and damage our health without being aware of it.
  • Avoid screens in the late hours of the day. Your mobile and the TV, tablet, or computer generate too much stimulation for your nervous system. This is why it is so essential that you stop using these devices until late if you want to reconcile and maintain a good night’s sleep.
  • Quiet your mind: it is an almost infallible practice to achieve sleep. You can do this in various ways: by reading a not very interesting book, concentrating on your breathing, focusing your attention on the sounds around you, closing your eyes, and relaxing your muscles one by one. If you remove the intrusive thoughts, you will rest more quickly. It is not easy, but if you try every day, you will see how to improve.
  • Hydrate your body. According to Ayurveda, body dryness favors insomnia. That is why hydrating your body correctly will not only improve your digestion but will help you sleep much better. You can do it on the outside (with sesame or coconut oil massages) and with unctuous foods (such as ghee or clarified butter, brown rice, sweet and ripe fruits such as orange, peach, or pomegranate).

How much melatonin should you take?

Before incorporating a melatonin supplement, it is advisable to carry out a professional consultation. It is crucial to determine in each case whether or not a new medication is appropriate for you, based on your symptoms and history.

The doses that are usually prescribed are 3 milligrams about 30 minutes before going to sleep, but this may vary according to why this medication is indicated.

Precautions when taking melatonin

You should know that if you take melatonin to sleep during the day, the functions of your body do not develop properly, even if you feel that you are resting. Therefore, you are likely to fall out of balance and feel various symptoms.

It is crucial to treat these ailments appropriately. If you only cover the symptoms and do not improve your sleep habits, it is possible that little by little, your body will suffer the consequences.

One of the side reactions to ingesting synthetic melatonin is that you can feel sleepy during the day. You must consider this since it is not appropriate to drive vehicles or machinery to which you should give your full attention.

Other possible adverse effects are:

  • Headaches.
  • Digestive upset
  • Dizziness
  • Depression.
  • Irritability.
  • Anxiety.
  • Arterial hypotension
  • Disorientation.

Also, you should know that some drugs should not be combined with melatonin :

  • Anticonvulsivantes.
  • Antidiabetics.
  • Medications or herbs that disrupt clotting.
  • Antihypertensive.
  • Sedatives (including alcohol and other nervous system depressant drugs).
  • Antidepressants
  • Contraceptives
  • Immunosuppressants.

That is why if you are in treatment with any of them, you must consult with one or a professional before starting to take melatonin.

This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to the Benefits of melatonin in menopause, we recommend that you enter our category of the Female reproductive system.

You may also like

Leave a Comment