A lot of people ask us, “Does melatonin increase deep sleep? Will taking a melatonin supplement not only help me to fall asleep faster, but spend more time in deep sleep?”
What excellent questions!
Melatonin is one of the most popular natural supplements available for those who struggle to sleep at night—and possibly one of the most effective.
Millions of Americans are taking this supplement every day to encourage better sleep quality, but it’s important to answer the question, “Does melatonin increase deep sleep?” in order to know if it’s a solid option for you.
Does Melatonin Increase Deep Sleep?
First, in order to answer this question, we need to understand what the difference is between “deep sleep” and other types of sleep.
Your sleep cycle basically has five stages:
Stage 1 is still partially awake, during which time you’re drifting off. There may be some twitching as you fall asleep, but it’s during this stage that you begin to dream.
Stage 2 is light sleep, but you’re drifting toward deeper sleep. Your body temperature drops, your brain activity reduces, and your body relaxes.
Stages 3 and 4 are both “deep sleep” stages. Stage 4 is the deepest of the two, and it’s during this stage that your body makes repairs, recovers from injuries, release hormones, etc.
REM sleep is a rapid-eye-movement sleep where your body approaches wakefulness, so your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing increase, and your eyes move around behind your eyelids. This is typically the stage where you dream. It occurs roughly 90 minutes after you enter Stage 1 sleep.
So, when trying to determine “Does melatonin increase deep sleep?” we really want to know if it increases the amount of time spent in Stages 3 and 4.
As you probably know, melatonin is the hormone produced by our bodies to help us transition from wakefulness to sleeping. Our bodies naturally produce more melatonin around 2 hours before bedtime, encouraging your body to shift from full wakefulness (the state you’re in most of the day) to a quiet, calm, relaxed wakefulness that is conducive to sleeping.
Studies into melatonin supplements have proven that melatonin can:
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Help you to fall asleep easier by raising melatonin levels in your body.
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Increase REM sleep continuity and normalize the circadian rhythms that control your sleep cycle and the progression through the various stages of sleep.
While melatonin won’t directly put you into deep sleep, it will help you to transition into sleep at night, and balance out your sleep stages to encourage better overall sleep. Ultimately, this is likely to indirectly lead to more time spent in deep sleep because your sleep cycles are balanced, and you’re transitioning through all of the sleep stages more effectively.
Melatonin supplements have been found useful to help re-balance the circadian rhythms (sleep-wakefulness body clock) of people who are suffering from insomnia or sleeplessness caused by shift work, medical conditions, jet lag, restless leg syndrome, and hormone-induced sleep problems.
If you’re taking melatonin supplements, there are a few things you can do to make them work more effectively on your body:
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Work with it. Take melatonin in tandem with the natural rise in your body’s melatonin production, around 2 hours before going to sleep. Once you take the supplement, transition to relaxing activities that help you to unwind and reduce mental stress. Shut off any bright light sources—including electronic devices—and enjoy warm, soft, dimmer lighting that helps to simulate the setting of the sun (a signal to your brain that it’s time to sleep).
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Take it regularly. Melatonin supplements aren’t sleeping pills. They’re not intended to knock you out quickly on the rare occasions when you can’t sleep. Instead, they’re formulated to be taken daily to help improve natural melatonin levels and balance out your sleep cycle. Consult with your doctor before taking melatonin, but consider using it as a daily evening supplement to help restore your natural sleepiness at night.
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Analyze the results. If you’re seeing good results and having an easier time falling asleep at night, excellent! That’s usually a sign the melatonin is working—which is also a sign your body is re-balancing your sleep cycle, and you are falling asleep more easily. You can take it for a month or two, hopefully long enough to help you sleep better naturally. However, if it’s not working and you’re experiencing no improvements after more than 2 weeks of daily supplementation, it’s best to stop taking it.
Melatonin can make a huge difference for those who suffer from sleep problems. Be smart about taking it, and it may just be the key to getting a better night’s rest!
Does Melatonin Increase Deep Sleep? In Pure Sleep, It Does!
PureSleep is our solution to help you get a better night of rest—including more time spent in the deep sleep stages.
As you can imagine, melatonin is one of the primary ingredients in this supplement. Each PureSleep capsule contains 2 milligrams of melatonin—a medium-sized dosage that can help to get your sleep back on track.
But we take it a step farther by adding other more effective natural ingredients that exponentially improve the results of the melatonin. These ingredients include:
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Valerian root, which stops your brain from breaking down the neurochemical GABA, leading to more relaxed, calm feelings.
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Magnesium, a mineral vital for healthy sleep cycles.
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Magnolia bark, which increases GABA activity to shut your brain down and keep you asleep at night.
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Ashwagandha, a potent superfood that can directly improve your deep sleep.
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Plus one more SECRET amino acid-rich ingredient that will increase serotonin and improve your sleep quality.
Want to find out more—including what our special ingredient is? Visit our website and find out how PureSleep can change your life!
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