Melatonin can seem like a miracle supplement for those of us who fly back and forth across multiple time zones for work. Time zone hops can mess with our ability to sleep, and melatonin is one of my favorite tools for resetting. If you feel your resetting needs even more than a Melatonin boost, try adding magnesium and GABA in the evening, about an hour before bed.
Melatonin for Healthy Sleep
Melatonin offers many health benefits. It's a strong antioxidant that directly binds to free radicals, like reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Adding melatonin also helps our body produce antioxidant enzymes, including glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. Melatonin has the ability to make harmful molecules less harmful, so our tissues and organs can age more gracefully.
Melatonin also protects our mighty mitochondria, the powerhouse of our cells. Mitochondria produce energy, have their own DNA, and fuel every cell, making them crucial for survival. Within our cells, the nucleus and mitochondria are the areas we find the most melatonin. It's there to neutralize free radicals and to cleanse the cell and mitochondria of toxins.
Melatonin also supports the healthy aging of our brain by supporting neuroplasticity, or the development of new networks of brain cells. It does this by supporting better levels of brain-derived growth factor, or BDNF.
My Melatonin Gummies are one supplement I will never be without!
