The right way to take melatonin –

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If you toss and turn in bed for hours before falling asleep or lay your head on the pillow, but feel that your sleep is not as restful as it could be, know that there is a solution to your problems: melatonin. “It is naturally synthesized by our body, but it can also be used as a supplement if the person needs it”, says Arthur Pagliara, a cardiologist at Escola Paulista de Medicina, in São Paulo (SP).

The hormone has a sleep-regulating effect and can help those who suffer from sleepless nights. But be careful when consuming. The right thing is to use the measure only in the short term: take the pills before bed for approximately five days to help regulate the body’s internal clock and then take a break from taking them.

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Why? Taking the pills regularly can make the body understand that it no longer needs to manufacture the necessary amount of the substance on its own every day. Hence, even with supplementation you end up with less melatonin circulating through the body, causing the effects of insomnia to reappear. “Despite being produced synthetically, it is still not sold so freely in Brazil”, says Lúcia Flávia Carpilovsky, an endocrinologist at the Hospital Adventista Silvestre, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ).

Therefore, if you want to try the tactic to regulate your hours of sleep during the night, go to a compounding pharmacy. But remember to talk to your doctor first, as Lúcia Flávia reminds you that not all types of insomnia should be treated with hormone supplements.