Low-dose melatonin with evening dim light and bedtime scheduling shifts the body clock regardless of melatonin timing
Updated
Abstract
In a trial with 40 adults, low-dose melatonin treatment combined with behavioral interventions may improve several sleep parameters.
- Scheduled low-dose melatonin treatment was administered either 3 hours before the measured dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) or 5 hours before the estimated sleep-onset time.
- Significant improvements were observed in various circadian and sleep parameters, excluding total sleep time and sleep quality as measured by specific indices.
- No differences were found in outcomes based on whether melatonin administration was timed according to measured or estimated DLMO.
- The findings suggest that both administration strategies could be effective in managing delayed sleep-wake phase disorder.
- Further research with a larger sample size is necessary to validate these preliminary results.
Simplified
Funding
Competing interests
All authors have seen and approved the manuscript. Work for this study was performed at the University of Michigan. This study was funded by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Foundation Strategic Research Award (Principal Investigator: Swanson). Additional support for this work was provided by the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research at the University of Michigan (NIH, UM1TR004404). This study was conducted under a “Investigational New Drug” protocol for melatonin (Food and Drug Administration Protocol #141269; sponsor: Swanson). Dr. Burgess serves on the scientific advisory board for Natrol, LLC, and was a consultant for F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. The other authors report no conflicts of interest.
PubMed