I recently received a question from an RN who has trouble sleeping after her night shift.  Will supplements of Melatonin help her stay asleep?

While I'm not a physician and cannot make a recommendation, I can point you to some information.  Melatonin is a hormone produced in the brain by the pineal gland, from the amino acid tryptophan.  Its synthesis and release are stimulated by darkness and suppressed by light.  It may help our bodies know when it’s time to go to sleep and when it’s time to wake up.

So Melatonin is known for helping people sleep, but for the RN working the night shift, it may have the wrong effect.  Melatonin may help your body adjust to its natural sleep/wake schedule, which could reduce something like jet lag while traveling through a few time zones.  But a human can never be nocturnal, so sleeping during the day is not the natural sleep pattern, and may not be right for the overnight shift RN.  While more research needs to be done, it seems Melatonin supplements could work against what you’re trying to achieve.

Check the links below to do your own research, but always check with your doctor before making your decision.

LINKS:
http://altmedicine.about.com/od/melatonin/a/melatonin.htm
http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/DVH/HerbsTake/0,3927,4060%7CMelatonin,00.html
http://health.yahoo.com/other-other/melatonin/healthwise--d04058a1.html