I have talked generally about how melatonin can cause easy sleeping, but now I’d like to be more specific on what melatonin actually is and how it may benefit those that can’t sleep. Melatonin is a hormone secreted naturally in the pineal gland of our brain and it helps to regulate other hormones and the body’s circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is our internal 24 hour clock that plays a critical role with our sleep/wake cycle. During the day our melatonin production decreases and at night we produce more melatonin. Its highest production level is between 2am and 4am. Our body has the amazing ability to adjust hormones by how much or how little light we receive. When we receive too much light at night is disrupts our sleep/wake cycle because we are not producing enough melatonin. Shift work, night work and jet lag can cause you to produce less melatonin. You also produce less melatonin naturally as you age and that may be the reason older adults sleep less or develop chronic insomnia. Read more »