Understanding melatonin and how low production can affect your sleep

by Kara Sherwood Digital & Content Marketing

Essential for physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, sleep is vital to our daily lives and the quality of it is influenced by many factors. Stress, your diet, medications, physical activity and hormones. One key player in the process of actually falling asleep and waking up is melatonin, a naturally occurring chemical that is produced in the pineal gland.

However, many people encounter issues with melatonin production in their lives and when this occurs, it can result in secondary problems.

What exactly melatonin is, when it is secreted, how it's connected to our sleep cycle will be explored in this article. We’ll also discuss what can interfere with its production and why you may need to speak to a healthcare professional in such a situation.

What is melatonin?

The pineal gland which is located in the brain and it is responsible for melatonin production. This occurs in response to darkness, which is why the levels of it in the body are typically higher at night and lower in the morning .The secretion of this chemical tells the body that it’s time to sleep and heightens the feeling of tiredness.

This pattern is known as the sleep-wake cycle and it is essential for overall health. It ensures that we get adequate rest and influences the various physiological and psychological processes that occur in the body.

These include effective learning, memory consolidation and problem solving skills; the creation of a strong immune system and emotional wellbeing. Our body is much more able to regulate moods and reduce stress after it has had enough sleep and the same goes for lowering the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

Problems with melatonin production

Unfortunately, research has shown that the secretion of melatonin falls as humans get older for a number of reasons. The pineal gland can calcify as we age which reduces its ability to produce the hormone efficiently; additionally, the melatonin receptors in the brain may also decrease, which reduces the body’s ability to respond to the release.

The body’s circadian rhythms are a set of physical, mental and behavioural processes that occur in response to light. As people get older and have less exposure to natural light, these rhythms can get disrupted which affects the timing and duration of melatonin release.

Aside from ageing, other things that cause reduced melatonin levels are various diseases such as cancer, dementia, mood disorders and type two diabetes.

Sleep disturbances and medical assistance

When melatonin levels drop significantly due to the above or other factors, people can experience trouble falling asleep, frequent waking during the night or early morning awakening.

All of these lead to an insufficient overall sleep duration which can have a profound impact on your health and daily ability to function after some time. In today’s digital age, an online doctor consultation can help you to access professional help with this. Here is why you might consider an appointment with an online GP if you are struggling with sleep.

Your online medical consultation will be held with doctors that are highly qualified, some of which specialise in sleep problems and solutions. You can consult with them from your familiar surroundings without having to waste time travelling to a clinic where you may be at risk of contracting other illnesses; this is extremely beneficial to elderly and high risk populations.

Some of the online healthcare providers offer services 24/7, so you have the flexibility to book whenever you can fit a consultation into your busy schedule. Even though the appointment is held online, you can still access prescriptions and online medical certificates to validate your time off work if necessary.

Treatments for sleep-wake cycle problems

Make sure to explain all your symptoms to your doctor during your online appointment. These include the problems you’re experiencing falling asleep and waking during the night but also the resulting issues. They will want to know about any feelings of sluggishness, appetite changes or mood swings, as it helps them to understand the severity of the condition.

If you are a younger person experiencing these problems, and ageing or a medical condition is not the culprit, the doctor may talk to you about your stress levels. If you’re under extreme strain they may provide you with an Australian online medical certificate which will allow you to take some time off work

Alternatively, they may prescribe melatonin supplements if your production levels are suspected to be low. However, if this has become a long term issue for you, the GP may give you an online referral to a sleep specialist who might carry out a sleep study.

Regardless of the severity, if you find yourself staring at the ceiling unable to fall asleep every night, you could be suffering from an interruption to your melatonin production process. To avoid further health issues, seek expert advice through an online consultation.

Sleep is vital for our overall health so don’t let sleep problems persist; take the step towards a more relaxed and restful night today.