Melachron® Free Sample

Description

Melatonin is a natural substance produced in the pineal gland and released in a specific daily rhythm that roughly corresponds to the 24-hour light/dark cycle. Melatonin is responsible for coordinating your body’s circadian (day/night) rhythm, and for synchronizing your inner clock on a daily basis.

Daylight inhibits melatonin production – in fact, most melatonin is produced at night in response to decreased daylight, eventually reaching levels that induce sleep. Ideally, melatonin levels should peak about two to four hours after you fall asleep, and then decrease gradually until waking. Any disruption in normal melatonin production can lead to problems falling asleep and staying asleep.

Because melatonin production decreases with age, melatonin levels might increase eight- to ten-fold during the night in a young person, but only two-fold in a person over age 60 – a marginal increase that often occurs too late in the night and for too short a period to ensure a satisfying night’s sleep. Aside from creating a less-pronounced day/night rhythm, this minimal increase also fails to properly synchronize the inner clock. This may be one reason that those over age 60 are more likely to suffer from difficulty falling asleep.