How to Take Melatonin for Jet Lag

Melatonin may help you recover more quickly from jet lag.

Traveling across time zones can leave you feeling lethargic and off-kilter, ready to sleep when everyone else is awake, or full of energy in the middle of the night. Melatonin is a hormone released by the pineal gland at night. The pineal gland regulates the body's rhythms of sleep and wakefulness, known as circadian rhythms. Taking melatonin is thought to "re-set" the body's internal clock, helping you adjust much more quickly to a new time zone and mitigating the effects of jet lag.

Things You'll Need

• Melatonin .5mg tablets

Instructions

1. Take .5 mg of melatonin at 6 or 7 p.m. the evening before your departure for your trip. Though melatonin tablets are available in various strengths, the University of Maryland Medical Centers recommends .5 mg as closest to the amount naturally produced by the body each day.

2. Take a tablet at bedtime at your destination. Take a tablet at bedtime each night while you are at your destination.

3. Take a second melatonin tablet if you awaken before 4 a.m. at your destination.

Tips & Warnings

• Get as much sunlight as possible at your destination, as this will help your body to re-set its internal clock.

• Try not to sleep during the day at your destination; this can make it more difficult to sleep at night.

• Melatonin can cause daytime drowsiness. Don't drive or operate machinery until you're sure it doesn't have this effect on you.

• Consult your physician before combining melatonin with any other medications.

References

• University of Minnesota: Jet Lag and Melatonin
• University of Maryland Medical Center: Melatonin

Resources

• University of Montana: Jet Lag