Medicine & Health
What is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone made by the brain's pineal gland that signals to your body that it is time to sleep. Its levels rise in darkness and fall with light, helping regulate your daily sleep-wake cycle.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains melatonin.
Key things to understand
- 1It is produced by the pineal gland in the brain, mainly at night.
- 2Darkness triggers its release; light — especially blue light — suppresses it.
- 3It tells the body 'it's night', helping you feel sleepy — it doesn't knock you out like a sedative.
- 4It is made from serotonin, linking mood and sleep chemistry.
- 5Supplements are sometimes used for jet lag or shift-work sleep problems.
Frequently asked questions
- Does melatonin make you fall asleep?
- It signals that it is night and helps prepare the body for sleep, but it is not a sedative — it nudges your body clock rather than forcing sleep.
- Why does screen light affect melatonin?
- Blue-rich light at night tells the brain it is still daytime, suppressing melatonin and making it harder to fall asleep.
- Is melatonin the same as a sleeping pill?
- No. Sleeping pills sedate the brain; melatonin works with your natural body clock to signal night, which is gentler but less forceful.