Podcast 996: Melatonin

Podcast 996: Melatonin

From Emergency Medical Minute by Emergency Medical Minute

March 2, 2026 · 4 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the effects and mechanisms of melatonin on sleep and circadian rhythms.

Contributor: Taylor Lynch MD Educational Pearls: Melatonin is an endogenous hormone released primarily by the pineal gland Also released by extrapineal regions in the retina, the GI tract, and some immune cells Peak secretion occurs at night and is suppressed during the day Secretion and production decrease with age Older patients experience the greatest improvement in sleep latency and sleep quality Mechanism of action in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus MT1 receptor Reduces normal firing MT2 receptor Shifts the circadian rhythm FDA approved for insomnia Decreases sleep latency by 7 minutes Increases total sleep time by 8 minutes FDA approved for circadian sleep-wake disorders Jet lag Most effective in west-to-east travel Best if crossing at least 5 time zones Shift work A study examined ED physicians and nurses with rotating shifts Modest increase in deep sleep percentage No difference in cognition or reaction time the day after taking melatonin Nurses on rotating night shifts experienced increased total sleep time by 20 minutes Dosing 0.5 - 3 mg is the most evidence-based dosing Higher doses increase the risk of rebound grogginess but do not improve outcomes…

People in this episode

Guest: Taylor Lynch MD

Topics covered

  • melatonin
  • sleep
  • circadian rhythm
  • insomnia
  • jet lag
  • shift work

Keywords

  • melatonin
  • sleep latency
  • circadian rhythm
  • insomnia
  • jet lag
  • shift work
  • deep sleep

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: FDA

Books & works: Cell Mol Neurobiol, Cochrane

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