Reasons You May Have Low Levels of Melatonin

Melatonin is a popular hormone known as the hormone of darkness because it informs your brain and body that it’s time to sleep. It regulates the timing of your sleep. This hormone is released by your brain thanks to a small gland deep within the brain called the pineal gland. Do you know that some people find it difficult or don’t produce enough melatonin? Ever wonder why that happens?

The inability to produce melatonin or producing low levels of melatonin doesn’t make you an alien. It can be caused by a variety of shocking reasons. This article reveals the astonishing reasons why some people don’t produce enough melatonin or don’t produce it at all. 

Factors That Can Influence Melatonin Production

Melatonin production in the body can be impaired by the following factors:

• Environmental factors:

Exposure to artificial light, especially from phones, can affect melatonin production in your body. You might not notice this initially and think playing on your phone will help you fall asleep. In the long run, the level of melatonin produced in your body decreases until you constantly find it difficult to fall asleep.

• Genetic factors:

Have you noticed that some people tend to handle shift work better than others? This is because some individuals have a genetic variation that can affect the genes involved in melatonin production. Simply put, some people have genetic mutations or variants that can negatively affect melatonin production. 

 

Reasons for Decreased Melatonin Production.

Now, let’s delve into the reasons for reduced melatonin synthesis:

1. Pineal Gland Dysfunction: 

The penial gland is a small secretory organ whose main function is to produce and release the hormone melatonin into the blood. However, this gland can malfunction as a result of different conditions. These include calcification, the presence of tumors, cysts, etc. However, penial gland calcification is increased in people with renal and neurodegenerative diseases. 

 

2. Aging:

As you age, the level of melatonin produced in your body reduces. This is because as you get older, the center that controls your body’s internal clock (i.e., tells you when to sleep and wake up, when you’re hungry, etc.) also ages. This center is called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and is the principal circadian clock in your brain. 

 

3. Health Conditions:

Some health conditions can reduce melatonin synthesis and lead to its deficiency. These include Alzheimer’s disease, type 2 diabetes, migraine, fibromyalgia, cancer, etc. Melatonin, apart from being known as the “sleep-inducing hormone,” has potent antioxidant abilities, which enable it to scavenge free radicals effectively. This accounts for its anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing effect. Thus, low levels of melatonin can increase inflammation which can worsen these health conditions. 

 

4. Hormonal Imbalance:

Did you know that melatonin controls the timing and release of the female reproductive hormones? This also applies to men. It also helps determine when a woman’s menstrual cycle begins, the duration, and when she stops menstruating and goes into menopause. Therefore, hormonal imbalance can lower melatonin levels in the body, which is why postmenopausal women with low estrogen levels suffer from sleep problems. 

 

5. Certain Medications:

Drugs like ibuprofen, anti-depressants, and drugs for hypertension like calcium channel blockers can reduce levels of melatonin in the body. 

 

6. Poor Diet Choice:

Poor diet habits can affect melatonin production in your body. These foods include high-sugar foods, citrus fruits, and drinks like coffee, energy drinks, etc. Also, alcohol has a deceptive effect on your body, as it might make you feel drowsy and fall asleep, but not for long. Generally, these foods contribute to poor sleep duration and quality. 

 

How to Regulate Your Sleep Cycle

Including melatonin-rich foods and melatonin supplements like NATURE’SFIELD MELATONIN can improve your sleep quality and duration, alleviate various health conditions triggered by inflammation, and increase glutathione levels in your body. 

More often than not, the root cause of sleeping disorders is related to reduced levels of melatonin production due to one of the reasons above. Therefore, aim for prioritizing rest and well-being with NATURE’SFIELD MELATONIN. This will perfectly synergize with your sleep-promoting habits while ensuring you drift off into much-needed and uninterrupted sleep.