Melatonin

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that your body produces when you sleep at night, most often in a dark room between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. Melatonin production drops off as you age, so older adults and those with irregular sleep schedules may find it beneficial to supplement their melatonin intake.

In addition to being a highly effective, natural sleeping aid, melatonin is involved in multiple systems throughout the body. As an antioxidant, melatonin helps to give your immune system a boost. It also fights inflammation and decreases aging markers. One recent study also showed that melatonin protects against the hearing damaged caused by some antibiotics.

Further, melatonin has protective effects from indigestion, gastrointestinal reflux (GERD), and other digestive issues.

Is daytime sleepiness putting your heart at risk?

Having trouble staying awake all day? Are you drowsy in the morning? Dozing off in the afternoon? You could be at risk for a heart attack or stroke, and even your doctor doesn’t know it! Like many of our readers, I’ll bet you take heart health seriously. You’ve worked hard to lower your cholesterol and […]

7 ways to keep illness from spoiling your summer travel

It’s summertime and that can only mean one thing: travel! Regardless of whether you’re planning a low-key, local “staycation,” a road trip to a different part of the country, or a big international trip, travel can wreak havoc on your body. It can strain your immune system, mess with your sleep, and even cause you […]

6 natural ways to get more sleep and better health

If you have trouble sleeping, you’re not alone. I’d wager that that’s on par with the rest of the country. Even I confess to not getting enough sleep sometimes. What’s the culprit? It’s hard to say. There are so many things that could be keeping us awake at night—our age, diet, medications, stress. I know […]

Melatonin: natural heartburn relief

Today, let’s give melatonin an extra dose of respect.  This body-clock-regulating hormone calms us for sleep as darkness falls, and rouses us to greet the day.  It also plays a role when heartburn and acid reflux strike. So, if you’re a sufferer, read on for natural heartburn relief. The burning question—what is (and isn’t) acid […]

Five Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Techniques to Sleep Better

How awake are you? Odds are, you feel sleepy. At least some of the time. Maybe even now. According to one study, 48% of the population suffers from occasional insomnia, while 22% have problems (nearly) every night. But that’s only among those who actually take the time to report their sleep woes to a doctor. […]

Sleeplessness increases insulin resistance

When I wrote about the dangers of sleeping pills, I touched very briefly on some of the major health problems caused by sleep deprivation. Research has not only linked it with greater risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and obesity but also with blood sugar issues ranging from insulin resistance to diabetes. Why does lack of […]

Sleeping Pill Dangers

I see it in my practice all the time—patients who are just plain tired. They come to me complaining that they lack energy and are constantly getting sick and gaining weight. During the course of our discussion, I usually learn they only get four or five hours of sleep a night. Well, it’s no wonder […]

Melatonin Keeps You Healthy: A Guide to Melatonin

When you think of hormones, the first ones that likely come to mind are estrogen, testosterone, and perhaps progesterone—the so-called sex hormones. That’s pretty natural considering you hear about the effects of sex hormone deficiencies all the time. But your body produces another very important hormone that doesn’t get nearly enough attention, even though a […]

3 ways to keep seasonal affective disorder from stealing your winter joy

“Antidepressants are making Mom worse.” That’s why Tracy brought her mother, Elinor, in to see the doctor. “She doesn’t want to read or play board games with her friends in the assisted living center or go for rides, and she says she feels like she can’t think straight anymore. I’m really worried about her and […]

Strengthen Immunity with Melatonin, Vitamin D, and Probiotics

Good health begins with a good night’s sleep. Damaging toxins are disposed of while you sleep, and broken cells are repaired, processes that require at least eight solid hours of high-quality sleep in a dark room. If that’s not happening, if you’re tossing and turning every night instead, your immune system suffers. And that leaves […]