We often hear about notable artists, speakers, and politicians who cut their sleep time down to six hours or less and are still able to accomplish all the things that made them noteworthy. While there have been some experts who promote training yourself to function on less sleep, that's not the same as needing less. Just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should. Most of us still need to make sleep a priority (or at least try to). Understandably, not everyone's lifestyles -- work schedules, especially -- make it easy to get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep, but hoping to thrive on any less is a pipe dream, and may cause larger health issues.
Melatonin, a hormone your body naturally produces, works with your circadian rhythm to signal your brain that it's time to sleep. But your circadian rhythm is sensitive, so even though one all-nighter might feel like nothing, the natural sleep-wake can be thrown off. This is when a melatonin supplement can help. What people often get wrong about melatonin is that, while it is a sleep aid, it is not a prescription to address insomnia. Supplemental melatonin can assist when you're having difficulty building a bedtime schedule. Melatonin (both the kind your body naturally creates and supplemental) doesn't knock you out like a sleeping pill might, but it can offer sleep-inducing effects when you occasionally have trouble falling or staying asleep. Most supplement options come in the form of a capsule or gummy, like the Natrol Melatonin Sleep Aid Gummies*, which use 10 mg of non-habit forming melatonin to support sleep when you need an extra hand. Think of it as an accessory -- not a cure-all for sleep deprivation. Melatonin's job is to prepare your body for sleep, similar to avoiding blue light or creating a dark environment to promote sleepiness. Always consult your doctor before adding a sleeping aid into your routine -- not every supplement may fit your lifestyle (or mesh with your current prescriptions).