A gift from the Sleepy Snooze Stars

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland and helps to regulate the body's sleep cycle. It is only produced when the neuroreceptors in the brain are not receiving any light, thus it has been referred to as the 'Dracula' hormone. It causes drowsiness but doesn't control the changes that occur in bodily processes and organs during sleep. Produced synthetically, melatonin has been available as a sleep supplement in North America for a few decades, however in the UK it is only available on prescription. Not illegal to own or take, people wishing to purchase it in the UK can easily buy it online. There is much debate as to how healthy it is to take this supplement, what consists a safe dose, how to use it effectively and possible long term consequences of use. Research on animals has raised concerns about effects on blood pressure, fertility and damage to neuroreceptors. Certainly it is not recommended for use by people with long term health problems. I suffer from chronic insomnia and rarely get a good night's sleep so I've tried taking melatonin and whilst it seems to help sometimes, the higher strength (like the 10mg shown in my photo) is more effective but I think it causes excessive drowsiness the following day. Well, I've got a whole bottle to use and having been raised in Aberdeenshire I hate the thought of wasting money so I'll stick with it for now!