Help! My Adolescent Can’t Fall Asleep Without Melatonin

Starting the early “tween” years (around the age of 10) and continuing well into the early twenties, adolescence is a time of substantial physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development. For the average young person, it’s also a time marked by:

• Greater independence
• Increased responsibility
• Exploration of identity
• Ongoing peer pressure 
• Extra emotional reactivity 
• More stress and anxiety

Given all its transitions and outside pressures, it’s not surprising that sleep problems are a common feature of adolescence, too. It’s also when many parents turn to our team at The Center for Advanced Pediatrics for guidance on the “all-natural” sleep aid melatonin. 

Adolescent sleep changes 

Most teens need eight to 10 hours of sleep each night to function normally and stay energized during the day. Unfortunately, many teens find it difficult to fall asleep at a “normal” bedtime or get up with the sound of their alarm. 

In addition to the unique stressors of adolescence, other factors also influence teenage sleep patterns, such as developmental changes that set their brain to “night owl” mode. Simply put, many teens have trouble falling asleep earlier because their brains naturally work on later schedules.

Melatonin: A sleep hormone

Essentially, an adolescent’s internal sleep clock resets to fall asleep later at night and wake up later in the morning. Why? It comes down to melatonin — a teen brain releases this sleep hormone later at night than kids’ and adults’ brains do. 

As the body’s natural sleep hormone, melatonin helps regulate circadian rhythms as well as the sleep-wake cycle. The brain releases it in response to the increasing darkness of nightfall, and essentially “shuts off” by daytime light. 

A helpful short-term sleep aid

Synthetic melatonin is a sleep aid supplement that mimics the effects of natural melatonin: It produces both hypnotic and chronobiotic effects, meaning it helps induce sleep and shifts the circadian rhythm, so sleep can occur earlier. It doesn’t help sustain sleep.  

Research shows that melatonin is generally safe for adults and adolescents (not younger kids) to use as a short-term sleep aid for a few days — not weeks or months. So, it isn’t a “magic pill” to solve sleep issues, but it can be a helpful way to reset a teen’s sleep schedule after vacation, summer break, or other interruptions (like final exam week). 

Melatonin may also help children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental conditions like autism spectrum disorder or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In such cases, its use should be carefully prescribed and monitored by a pediatrician.  

The trouble with melatonin 

In the United States, melatonin is sold as an over-the-counter dietary supplement, which means the FDA doesn’t regulate it. This means when you buy melatonin, you may not be getting what’s listed on the product’s label.

Independent studies reveal that actual melatonin levels in products may range from less than half to more than four times the amount stated on the label. This has prompted the American Academy of Sleep Medicine to issue a health advisory on melatonin use in children and adolescents, advising parents to consult their pediatrician first.

It’s also important to note that there have been many reports of melatonin overdoses in kids and teens, which can cause excessive daytime sleepiness, headaches, nausea, and agitation.  

Sleep hygiene improvement

Melatonin can be a temporary help for your adolescent, but it shouldn’t be used as an ongoing sleep aid or as a substitute for a good bedtime routine. Indeed, good sleep habits — also known as sleep hygiene practices — are the best sleep medicine. 

In addition to creating a relaxing sleep environment that’s dark, cool, and quiet, you should:

• Encourage daily physical activity — but not too close to bedtime
• Avoid overscheduling, so your teen won’t stay up late doing homework  
• Put away screens an hour before bed; their light suppresses melatonin 
• Limit caffeine to before lunchtime; eat dinner several hours before bed 
• Encourage relaxing activities in the evening, like reading or showering 

You’ll also want to help your adolescent maintain a regular sleep schedule with consistent bedtimes and wake times. 

While it’s fine for your teen to stay up and sleep in a little later on the weekends, try not to let them vary from their usual routine too much; when their body is used to sleeping at a particular time, it’s easier to drift off to sleep naturally. 

Worried about melatonin use?

Looking for expert advice about your adolescent’s melatonin use? We can help. Schedule a visit at The Center for Advanced Pediatrics in Norwalk or Darien, Connecticut, today.