Η melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland, in the brain. It helps our body know when it's time to sleep and when it's time to wake up.
Its synthesis and secretion are activated by darkness and deactivated by light. For this reason it is also called the «sleep hormone» or the body's «biological clock».
In addition, it also has antioxidant and immune system boosting properties.
The decrease in melatonin production in humans due to much longer hours of light exposure - due to artificial lighting at night - has been suggested as one of the causes of the large increase in insomnia-related problems in the general population, but also of Cancer.
This theory is supported by research that has shown a significant increase in cancer incidence in night workers exposed to light for much longer hours.
There are melatonin pills (natural or synthetic) that are not, nor are they classified as dietary supplements and are sold freely, without a prescription.
However, since the long-term effects of additional melatonin intake have not been fully established, appropriate medical advice should be sought. Even for those who wish to reorganise their biological cycle, which occurs when people travel in different time zones (jet lag).
Obviously, the best nutritional supplement is the natural sources of melatonin which are:
- cherries,
- the orange peppers,
- the nuts,
- the mustard,
- the flaxseed,
- the cardamom,
- the onions,
- the tomato and
- the turkey.
