Melanotan Instructions

Your body produces the hormone melatonin to help regulate your sleep cycle. Without melatonin, you would have a difficult time falling asleep and waking up. Melatonin is available over-the-counter and is most commonly taken as a sleep aid by those who have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Overnight workers and those suffering from jet lag may also find melatonin supplements useful for resetting their sleep cycles. Melatonin also helps control other hormonal processes in the body, especially those that involve female reproduction.

Instructions

• 1

  Talk to your doctor about the medical problems that you intend to treat with melatonin. Just because your body naturally produces the hormone doesn't mean it's safe to take without a doctor's supervision, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Melatonin can interfere with medications you're taking and cause uncomfortable side effects.

• 2

  Take 1 to 3 mg of melatonin 30 minutes to 2 hours before bed to treat insomnia or sleep disturbances. There is no standard dosage for melatonin and UMMC points out that a dose as low as 0.1 mg may be effective for some people. Lower your dose if you have difficulty waking up or feel drowsy during the day.

• 3

  Take 1/2 to 1 mg an hour to treat jet lag. Wait to take the medication until you arrive at your location and plan to sleep for a full 8 hours.

• 4

  Treat insomnia in children with a 0.3 mg dose, 30 minutes to an hour before bed. Higher does have been associated with seizures in children under 15. Never give melatonin to a child without first consulting the child's doctor.

• 5

  Take the lowest dose necessary to address your symptoms. Melatonin isn't the type of medication that offers more benefits if you take more of it. Some peoples sleep problems worsen due to anxiety and other side effects if they take too high of a dose.