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MELATONIN FOR JET LAG AND SLEEP DISORDERS
SUMMARY
WHAT WE KNOW
Melatonin (N-acetyl- 5 - methoxytryptamine) is a neurohormone associated with sleep. Although
the U. S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) questions the evidence, the five
sources that deal with melatonin all recommend it for:
jet lag and
shift work adjustment,
Melatonin is a promising treatment for other sleep disorders, especially:
sleep latency (delay in falling asleep) in older people.
insomnia in the elderly,
sleep disturbances in children with neuro-psychiatric disorders, and
sleep enhancement in healthy people
However, some of the evidence is tentative, and much more study is needed. Uses of melatonin
to
treat insomnia and
maintain cognitive capacity (neuroprotection)
are particularly interesting but remain unresolved. Other suggested but unproven uses include:
circadian sleep disorders [cyclical melatonin deficiency]
dealing with the side effects of treatment for schizophrenia, particularly tardive
dyskinesia and weight gain,
benzodiazepine withdrawal,
high-altitude adjustment,