FILE - A bed is pictured in a 2018 file image taken in London, England. (Photo by: Ed Reeve/View Pictures/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) More Americans are taking over-the-counter melatonin supplements to help them fall asleep, according to a new study published this week.
But the researchers warned that the increase may also "raise safety concerns" amid a lack of data on taking it long-term and at higher doses.Melatonin is a hormone that the brain naturally produces in response to darkness, helping with the timing of the body’s circadian rhythms and with sleep.
Melatonin supplements may help with certain conditions, such as jet lag and delayed sleep-wake phase disorder, and short-term use appears to be safe for most people, according to the National Institutes of Health.
But it adds that information on the long-term safety of supplementing with melatonin is lacking.The new research, published Feb.