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Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone which helps to control how and when you sleep. Melatonin levels rise at night then fall to normal levels during the day.
Melatonin tablets, containing a synthetic form of this hormone is a prescription-only medicine in the UK. This means you must be prescribed the treatment following a consultation with a prescriber. The tablets are licensed as a jet lag treatment or to help you regulate your sleep cycle. Jet lag commonly affects air travellers who cross multiple time zones.
As a GPhC regulated pharmacy, at Quick Meds, we offer melatonin tablets to all eligible patients. Head over to our website to complete the online questionnaire for prescriber review. Once your order has been approved, we can dispatch and deliver as soon as by the next working day through tracked, quick delivery.
Feature | Summary |
|---|---|
What melatonin is | A synthetic version of the natural sleep hormone that helps regulate the sleep–wake cycle. |
What it is used for | Short term treatment of jet lag and supporting adjustment to a new time zone. |
Who it is for | Adults needing help with temporary sleep–wake disruption when travelling. |
Strength available | 3 mg tablet |
How to take it | Take one tablet at local bedtime for a short course (usually up to 5 days). Always follow prescriber instructions. |
Onset of effects | Helps signal “night-time” to the body to support natural sleep readiness. |
Course length | Commonly taken for up to 5 days for jet lag. |
Prescription status | Prescription-only medicine in the UK. |
Alcohol & driving | May cause drowsiness. Avoid alcohol and take care with driving or operating machines. |
Common side effects | Headache, drowsiness, vivid dreams, nausea. Usually mild and temporary. |
Who should avoid it | Pregnant/breastfeeding individuals, under-18s, people with certain medical conditions or using interacting medicines. |
Quick Meds service | Online consultation, UK-based pharmacy, discreet delivery and fast dispatch. |
Melatonin tablets are a synthetic form of the natural hormone. This mimics the natural hormone and is used for short periods to help ease jet lag symptoms and other sleep problems.
Melatonin is naturally produced by the pineal gland - a small gland in the brain. The production of melatonin is tightly linked to light. When it gets dark, the pineal gland releases more melatonin and when it is light, production drops.
Melatonin helps to regulate your circadian rhythm, which is also known as your body clock. As melatonin rises in the evening, it signals to your body to wind down. This will then influence parts of the brain such as the hypothalamus to reduce alertness, lower body temperature and prepare for sleep.
When you have jet lag, your natural body clock has shifted. If you have travelled to a different time zone that is a few hours ahead, your body may not be ready for bed, even though it may be past your usual bedtime in your new destination. Taking synthetic melatonin, will add to your body's natural supply when the natural rhythm is out of sync.
Unlike traditional sleeping tablets that directly make you drowsy, melatonin signals to your body that it is night time. This triggers natural physiological changes to help you fall asleep. It supports the body's sleep-wake cycle rather than forcing sleep.
Melatonin lets the brain know that it's night time, helping to regulate the sleep-wake cycle. Taking the tablets adds to your body's natural melatonin supply to prepare it for sleep. This extra melatonin will act as a night-time cue to your brain, encouraging sleepiness, similar to how the body naturally raises melatonin levels at night.
Melatonin supplements can be used when your sleep-wake cycle has been disrupted, such as after travelling across time zones. Travelling can shift your internal clock so that it is out of sync with your local light and dark patterns. Melatonin works by resetting your internal clock and help you sleep at the appropriate times.
It is important to take the tablets at the right time. For optimum effects, the tablets should be taken close to the target bedtime at the destination. This can help ease jet lag, particularly when crossing several time zones.
Using melatonin without good sleep habits may limit your benefits. For best results:
Have a consistent routine - ensure you are going to bed and waking up around the same time each day
Light exposure - increase bright light in the morning and reduce light and blue light in the evening. This helps your brain have a clearer morning and night time. Light is also the most powerful cue for helping to reset your internal clock.
Use at the right time - align your use of melatonin with your new time zone.
Healthy sleep practices - Sleep in a comfortable environment, avoid caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime.
Melatonin is suitable for adults who:
Are travelling across time zones and need help adjusting quickly to their new destination
Have short‐term sleep-wake rhythm disruptions
If you are having sleep problems but are not sure why, please speak to your doctor or appropriate healthcare professional.
Melatonin is not suitable for:
Individuals under 18 years old - please see you doctor if you are under 18 and require treatment for insomnia.
Pregnant or breastfeeding women
People with uncontrolled autoimmune disease, severe liver or kidney disease, or taking certain interacting medications.
If you are unsure whether melatonin is suitable for you, call us on 0121 628 5318 or fill in our online consultation and a prescriber will review this for safety and suitability.
If you are take any other medication, whether prescribed or purchased over the counter, it is important you disclose this on your consultation form.
This is especially important if you are taking :
Anticoagulants
Immunosuppressants
Medication for diabetes
Antidepressants
Melatonin tablets help with your sleep cycle, so if you drive or operate machinery, be aware of the possibility of sleepiness.
Avoid combining melatonin with other medicine that can also help you to sleep such as sleep aids or supplements.
Our clinicians at Quick Meds are optimally placed to offer advice on the compatibility of other treatments you may be taking.
When taking melatonin tablets for jet lag, it is recommend to take the dose at your new time zone bedtime.
Take your medication one to two hours before you would normally fall asleep. So if you normally sleep at 10pm, take your dose at 8pm. Do not take melatonin tablets before 8pm or after 4am.
Melatonin is usually taken for up to 5 days for jet lag. If you are still having trouble sleeping after a 5 day course, please speak to a healthcare professional.
The typical dose for jet lag is one 3mg tablet, taken once daily for up to 5 days.
Take with a full glass of water and avoid heavy food or stimulants close to bedtime. Do not exceed the maximum prescribed dose.
If you miss a dose, skip this dose and take your next scheduled dose at the usual time. Do not double the next dose.
Avoid alcohol or excessive caffeine as this may interfere with your sleep and the effects of the treatment.
If melatonin is not having the desired effect even after you have used it for a few days, speak to your doctor or healthcare provider.
Research indicates melatonin can be effective at preventing or reducing jet lag and is recommended for adults travelling across time zones. It is commonly used to effectively realign the sleep-wake cycle though individual responses can vary.
The benefits of melatonin can vary depending on the time the medication was taken and the number of time zones travelled.
Whilst it can support sleep, it is not a miracle cure. For optimum results, the treatment should be used alongside adjustments to sleep hygiene. This is done by creating the right environment with reduced light exposure, avoiding alcohol and stimulants close to bedtime and maintaining a regular sleep schedule.
Reducing or eliminating disruptive sleep can restore almost every bodily system and can have benefits to blood pressure, the immune system, nervous system, and cardiovascular systems. :
Physical health: improved cardiovascular, metabolic and immune function over time with good sleep
Cognition and concentration: better attention, memory consolidation, and problem solving
Mood and mental health: more stable mood, lower risk of mood disturbance
Energy and daily functioning: fewer day times naps/fatigue and improved daytime alertness
For those who travel often, effective tools can speed adjustment to a new time zone and reduce the functional impact of jet lag. These tools include:
Timed melatonin
Planned light exposure
Sleep scheduling
Like all medicines, melatonin can cause side effects. The most common are are:
Feeling tired in the daytime
Headache
Feeling sick
Feeling dizzy
Dry mouth
Dry or itchy skin
Strange dreams or night sweats
These are generally mild in nature and resolve on their own as your body adjusts to commencing treatment. If they persist, you should speak to your healthcare provider for advice.
Rarer side effects include:
Changes to your eyesight, such as blurred vision
Mood changes
Depression
Worsening sleep issues, such as difficulty staying asleep
Allergic reactions: swelling of the lips, mouth, throat, difficulty breathing
Chest pain
If you experience any of these, seek immediate medical attention.
It is important that you avoid combining melatonin with sedatives or sleep aids, or heavy alcohol. This may increase drowsiness or may cause unwanted sleepiness at times you should be awake.
Take caution if you are driving or using heavy machines whilst using melatonin.
There is limited data on its use in pregnant and breastfeeding individuals and should therefore not be used.
Melatonin should not be used in children unless under specialist supervision.
How to order your melatonin tablets with Quick Meds:
Navigate to www.quickmeds.co.uk and click on the Jet Lag treatment section.
Fill in the online questionnaire - answer the questions honestly and accurately. You will be asked about your sleep habits, other medicine you may take, your medical history and travel plans.
Make your payment
A prescriber will review your order and if appropriate, a prescription will be authorised. Your order will be packaged discreetly and delivered by as soon as the next working day.
If this medication is not appropriate for you, our prescriber can support you with alternative options and offer advice to help your symptoms.
Ordering your medication with Quick Meds is fast and easy.
Once you have filled out your online consultation and placed your order, a clinician will assess this for safety and suitability.
Your order will then be dispensed and packaged in discreet packaging ready to send out for delivery. We offer standard delivery as well as next-day delivery if you require your treatment as soon as possible.
Quick Meds is a UK-regulated online pharmacy, providing excellent service alongside very fast delivery. A team of qualified prescribers is always on hand to answer any questions or concerns you may have. We thoroughly follow GPhC and MHRA guidelines to prescribe safely and suitably.
We are committed to providing quality care for all of our patients and have strict date protection in place. Your safety is our top priority and we can ensure you will have a great experience with Quick Meds.
Everything you need to know
Melatonin is a prescription only medication which must be prescribed by an appropriate prescriber. Here at Quick Meds, our team of dedicated clinicians can safely assess and prescribe jet lag treatment for all eligible individuals
The usual treatment course for jet lag is to take melatonin for up to 5 days.
Taking melatonin at the wrong time may misalign your body clock and cause unwanted sleepiness. It is important you take melatonin at the correct time - close to the target bedtime at your destination.
In some cases, melatonin can make you feel sleepy the next day but if taken at the right time, you can reduce this from occurring.
It is best to avoid combining melatonin with other sedatives, alcohol or sleep aids. This may cause unwanted sleepiness.
Melatonin can be used when travelling across a time zone. The frequency of requests will be assessed by the clinician.
If you are having sleep problems that are not just jet lag, it is important that you speak to your doctor or healthcare professional. Underlying sleep issues need to be investigated, especially if they persist.
It is best to avoid alcohol when you are using melatonin. This is because alcohol may add to the effects of melatonin tablets, making you more sleepy or drowsy.