As we know, Melatonin is the sleep hormone responsible for regulating the sleep circle. But people are afraid that “taking hormones as a supplement is dangerous, right?”
Long before, thanks to technology, people could not find that “hormone supplement.” we found. This kind of thing gave us certain advantages, and people with deficiencies or problems mostly use the hormones. (Like Testosterone, Insulin, And Thyroids)
I can say “Hormone supplement” is not always the “best choice,” but sometimes they can be. And even it might be a better option for deficiency.
In this article, we will discuss whether taking “Can Melatonin Cause Anxiety?” and “Can Melatonin Make You Nervous?”
Can Melatonin Help With Anxiety And Nervous?
Anxiety is a natural stress response, and the symptoms might be different people to person. The underlying reason for anxiety might be hormonal imbalance, cognitive distortions, or environmental or cultural factors.
However, cultural or not, anxiety can affect our quality of life. Certain things help you get reduce anxiety attacks and support your well-being.
Deep Quality Sleep is supported by science showing that it decreases anxiety attacks, improves Serotonin, Dopamine, and other brain chemicals, balances insulin (when you can’t sleep, you will experience more hunger), and support mitochondrial health by regulation of inflammation.
For that, Melatonin certainly works to help better sleep and leads to affect your well-being.
Lack of Melatonin can cause sleep disturbance, leading to anxiety, an overactive amygdala(fear center), difficulty concentrating, and mitochondrial problems.
Another thing you should know about Melatonin is:
- According to the research, Melatonin may help alleviate anxiety symptoms by reducing activating the amygdala.
- High cortisol may cause hippocampus atrophy, which is “bad” for the HPA axis and cause an overactive amygdala. (fear center) Research showed that melatonin administration led to a reduced cortisol response as well as improved inflammation markets.
- The study found that Melatonin can help anxiety, sleep, and circadian rhythm disorders. Also, Melatonin is first-line therapy for people over 55 with insomnia, parasomnia, and circadian rhythm sleep disorders.
If you can’t sleep enough, you will feel in a far more dangerous state, depressed state, dizziness, anxiety, binge eating, and mitochondrial and immune problems.
Optimizing Melatonin is certainly worth for if you experience Sleep deprivation or insomnia.
For more information: Why Is Melatonin Important For Well-Being, Anxiety, And Depression?
The circadian system affects mood, anxiety, and motivated behaviors through local clock gene expression and indirect links from the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).
Hippocampus Crucial When It Comes To Anxiety
The limbic system’s hippocampus regulates learning, memory storage, and spatial navigation. Also, The hippocampus has gained significant attention in mood disorders research because some theories suggest that the hippocampus shrinks when an individual has depression and anxiety.
Some methods to improve the Hippocampus area such as:
- Exercise
- Fasting
- Meditation
Conversely, exercise can stimulate new brain cells and neurogenesis by increasing BDNF protein.
Did you know that good quality sleep, as well as melatonin, can help to Hippocampus?
Melatonin Protects Hippocampus From Damages
This is unique because the protection hippocampus is vital for neurogenesis and brain health.
Yet, certain things, such as beta-amyloid, can directly impact neurogenesis( the process by which new neurons are formed in the brain) and our mood.
The problem is that the accumulation of neurotoxic beta-amyloid plaques is critical in developing Alzheimer’s disease. Not just as beta-amyloids might have crucial roles when it comes to anxiety and depression.
Anyone who experiences Alzheimer’s tends to have anxiety, depression as well as other problems because lack of oxygen and accumulative neurotoxic beta-amyloid leads to cause anxiety and even panic.
To prevent this, optimizing Melatonin (for sleep) might be helpful. Besides Melatonin, Physical Exercise, Meditation, and Omega-3 (Especially Krill’s), some herbs such as Gingko Biloba and Turmeric, Fasting, and Ketones can help to heal Hippocampus damage.
Increased anxiety and depressive symptoms are related to hight levels of amyloid beta may be associated with symptoms of anxiety in these individuals.
Are Melatonin Supplements Safe for Individuals with a History of Anxiety or Panic Attacks?
The question itself consider different variables, such as “age,” “which drugs are used for anxiety”, “Melatonin deficiency level” and the history of Anxiety, and Panic attacks.
Melatonin is safe for most people and does not cause any problems for a short period of time. Some people reported that when they use Melatonin, they experience Nightmares and vivid dreams. If so, it might lead to an unpleasant feeling among people who have a history of Anxiety and panic attacks.
However, these nightmares are not common and are mostly related to the dosage. Micro dosage Melatonin such as 0,3 -0,5 mcg, most of the time safest for if you have an anxiety history. I always emphasize that if you have Melatonin deficiency, you’ll more likely experience anxiety rather than with Melatonin supplements.
If you want to use more than 1 mg of Melatonin with drugs, consider your healthcare because it might cause drowsiness.
Suggestion:
- Xanax And Melatonin: Can I Take A Together?
- Can Taking Melatonin Cause Nightmares?
- Why Isn’t My Melatonin Putting Me To Sleep?
What Are the Potential Risks of Taking Melatonin Supplements for Those Who Struggle With Chronic Anxiety?
If you’re struggle with Chronic anxiety, and you might check on the list below when you decide to use of Melatonin supplements.
- Temporary increase in anxiety symptoms
- Dizziness
- Nightmares
- Interference with natural melatonin production
- Interactions with other medications
- Unpredictable effects on hormones and mood
- May exacerbate existing anxiety or depressive disorders.
These can happen because Melatonin can affect on the brain, and the hippocampus, particularly suggesting involvement in synaptic plasticity and impact brain chemicals. It’s not mean it’s bad, but you might experience those symptoms if you struggle with anxiety.
Sleep Quality Can Helpful For Anxiety.
Yes. Optimizing Melatonin and sleep quality eases anxiety, promotes better mood regulation and calmness, reduces anxiety and inflammation, as well as stimulates the new brain cells by promoting BDNF protein. Here is the simple table you can check
| Benefits of Deep Sleep | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Improved Mitochondrial health | Repairs & rejuvenates cells and improves energy production. |
| Increased formation of new brain cells | Improves memory, and cognitive function through neurogenesis |
| Mood regulation | Regulates emotions, hormones; reduces stress & anxiety |
| Reduced amygdala activity | Less activity in brain structure associated with emotions, reducing anxiety |
Besides that tablo, sleep quality matters when it comes to regulating the brain waves( Thera, Alpha, And Delta), which are directly linked to the subconscious mind.
Melatonin itself helps to manage the brain waves in a better way. Not finished, sleep quality also affects the men’s hormonal levels, and lack of sleep can cause excessive cortisol secretion to promote the suppressed testosterone hormone.
Low testosterone leads to low libido, body and facial hair loss, difficulty concentrating, depression, anxiety, sleep problems, and irritability. It’s like a crazy bad combo happening when you have Melatonin deficiency.
Related: Melatonin: Does It Affect Fertility?
- Low testosterone levels have been associated with sleep deficiency and severe sleep apnea. Total sleep time influences morning testosterone levels in older men. (source)
- The effects of sleep loss on testosterone levels were clear. Male testosterone levels dropped by 10–15% after five hours of sleep. This shows that sleep is directly correlated to testosterone levels.
The studies are clear, the more sleep loss, the more tend to decline testosterone levels.
More information: Can Testosterone Hormone Effect Sleep Quality?
The Inflammation-Anxiety Connection
| Anxiety Causes | Inflammation | Fluoride Exposure | Melatonin deficiency | Porn addiction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychological factors | Yes | Yes | ||
| Hormonal imbalances | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Neurological issues | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Environmental factors | Yes | Yes |
Another interesting area is the inflammation and anxiety connection. As before, we thought that inflammation was disconnected from our mood and anxiety. Sorry, it changed.
According to the research, people with chronic inflammation are more likely to experience anxiety and depression.
Earlier meta-analyses have shown that depressive states are associated with elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF), as well as IL-6.
Inflammation also causes mitochondrial problems and dysfunctions. Yet, if you don’t know that meaning, you should because mitochondrial dysfunctions can also lead to anxiety as well as aging.
Inflammation is a major contributor to the development of anxiety disorders. Chronic inflammation can disrupt the balance of the immune system and increase the risk of mental health problems
– Dr. Joe Tatta, Integrative Health Practitioner
The logic behind that once when mitochondria can’t work properly (because of inflammation), the brain tends to crave more of the ATP, or energy fuel.
Especially our brain uses most of the ATP energy and uses that ATP for mood regulation.
You can reduce Inflammation by “dry fasting,” which is the (best method).
I wrote it for those living in other countries who can’t afford all of the “organic” things but still want to optimize mitochondria. If you are one of them, check it out: Free Alternative For Optimizing Mitochondria, And Longevity.
“Anxiety and chronic inflammation are two sides of the same coin. Both are driven by the same underlying causes: chronic stress, poor diet, lack of exercise, and a sedentary lifestyle.”
–Dr. David Perlmutter, Neurologist
To Fighting Anxiety, You Need TO Balance GABA
Optimizing, enhancing, and healing our circadian rhythm is one method of fighting anxiety and depression. But it’s another thing you should consider: “GABA” (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid)
| GABA | Glutamate | |
|---|---|---|
| Neurotransmitters role | Inhibitory | Excitatory |
| Primary function | Calming | Alertness and Learning |
| Deficiency symptoms | Anxiety, insomnia | Excitotoxicity, seizures |
| Overproduction symptoms | Sedation, muscle relaxation | Excitotoxicity, seizures |
GABA and glutamate are the most abundant neurotransmitters in the brain and are involved in controlling alertness, anxiety, muscular tension, and memory processes.
GABA lowers the amount of excitement in the brain; you can feel calmer and relaxed, and you probably know how it feels to change that. Most Anti-anxiety drugs improve GABA and stop glutamate from doing its job.
Anyway, Excessive amounts of glutamate can produce excitotoxicity, which harms nerve cells, and certain brain area can cause anxiety, even obsession thoughts, and makes overthinking.
To prevent this, avoiding excess caffeine makes you more alert because it can increase glutamate activity and block GABA from being released.
More information: Relaxing and Focusing: GABA and Glutamate in the Human Brain
Limit Amount of Flouride Exposure For Optimal Pineal Gland
People are becoming more aware of the toxic chemical exposure from the environment, foods, and mental amalgams that can disturb health.
According to National Research Council research, fluoride will undoubtedly affect pineal gland function and reduce melatonin synthesis, which might have many repercussions on people.
Excess Flouride could damage the pineal gland(Melatonin is the only known hormone synthesized by the pineal gland, and DMT(Soul hormone)
Limit the amount of fluoride you expose for the optimum pineal gland.
Also, fluoride can disturb neurotransmitters such as (dopamine and serotonin) and the thyroid. Why?
Excess fluoride can bind to the iodine and leads to iodine deficiency.
Blue Light Can Be Detrimental and Cause Anxiety
Many types of cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s are associated with blue light exposure at night and circadian disruption.
| Compare | Blue Light | Melatonin |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Stimulating | Sedating |
| Primary function | Alertness and Wakefulness | Sleep regulation |
| Exposure effect on body | Suppresses melatonin production | Increases melatonin production |
If you suppress melatonin release at night due to blue light, you will inhibit growth hormone, making it more difficult to burn fat and build muscle, and you will also hinder the brain from cleaning out toxins such as beta-amyloid, tau, and heavy metals collected throughout the day.
Some toxins and proteins, such as beta-amyloids, have been linked to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, as well as an anxiety disorder.
Can Taking Melatonin Supplements Regularly Lead To A Decrease In Natural Melatonin Production And Create Insomnia?
There are tons of myths and misunderstandings when it comes to Melatonin supplements. I understand that people do not want to believe those things can be effective at low cost. It’s also happening with Creatine supplements, it’s cost-free and effective supplements.
Our natural Melatonin production can not inhibit using Melatonin supplements for a short period of time. However, I suggest that you do not overuse extended periods of time, because there is not that much research available yet. Consider using Melatonin supplements intermittently, and do not overdosage; a small dosage can also be helpful to prevent some side effects. Let’s check here.
| Melatonin Myths | Truth |
|---|---|
| Addictive | Melatonin is not addictive |
| Decrease natural production | Long-term(more than 12 months) use may risk decreased production, but short-term and moderate use is generally safe |
| Only a sleep aid | Melatonin has additional benefits, such as antioxidant properties |
| Drugs | Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the body; it’s also available in supplement form. |
As we see, supplementary melatonin in small to moderate amounts does not appear to inhibit the production of endogenous melatonin by the body.
What If Melatonin Supplement Can Cause Anxiety?
Melatonin is generally safe, but using it in high amounts can cause temporary and short-lasting anxiety as a side effect.
It is more beneficial to start with low amounts, such as 0.3 to 1 mg of Melatonin.
Melatonin can activate sirtuins and has anti-aging effects; also, the lack of Melatonin is a more serious problem regarding anxiety and depression.
“Melatonin receptors have been found in multiple areas of the brain, including the hypothalamus, the thalamus, the basal forebrain, and the brainstem, indicating its wide-ranging influence on sleep, mood, and other physiological processes.”
What happens if you eat a whole bottle of melatonin?
We all know Melatonin is helpful if it is the proper amount, but it can also lead to a condition known as Melatonin Toxicity if it is too much. When that happens, your body will start to go into sleep paralysis, and sleepiness, vomiting, and trouble breathing are signs of melatonin overdose.
Don’t Excessive Fasting For Circadian Rhythms
I’m a big fan of Dry Fasting because Fasting promotes the diversity and dynamics of the microbiome, activating sirtuins genes and promoting autophagy and longevity.
Fasting is also the healthiest and easiest way to reverse obesity which is determined by the feeding and fasting cycles of the host.
But fasting and eating at night may disrupt your sleep. Certain bacteria, such as “Enterobacter aerogenes,” are sensitive to Melatonin which affects circadian rhythms.
Circadian rhythm disturbance can alter the microbiota and thus have a detrimental impact on metabolic health. That is why it is critical not to overeat at night.
Avoid Pornography Or Sexual Especially At Night
When you watch binge porn, the brain secrets dopamine; Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that affects mood, motivation, and reward-driven behavior.
The main reason porn is addictive is that it highjacks the reproduction system. It floods the brain with dopamine, which creates a sensation of ecstasy. The problem is that the excess dopamine causes desensitization and a constant desire to seek novelty.
Regardless, the more dopamine in your system from coming stimulants such as pornography, drugs, and sugar, the more you have difficulty sleeping because overactive dopamine suppresses serotonin, which eventually reduces Melatonin.
On the other hand, Porn addiction can trigger anxiety via the stimulation of dopamine receptors, making us overexcited.
For standard and social health, avoid pornography as much as you can.
Related: Porn Addiction Dangers: What You Need to Know
Outline
Using external supplements and hormones is not the best strategy for managing anxiety.
However, there are certain things we are sure that without enough sleep, you will experience far more dangerous symptoms.
The best things for optimizing melatonin production are eating serotonin, B6, and Magnesium rich foods, getting enough sunlight, avoiding fluoride exposure, and limiting blue-light exposure at night.
Also, limit your EMF exposure because electromagnetic fields above certain levels can trigger biological effects that cause insomnia and other unpleasant problems.
My Opinion: Don’t Feel Alone!
If you suffer anxiety and panic attacks, relax that feeling and try to find “what is the main cause that i feel that?”.
Simple things such as nutritional deficiency, low levels of serotonin, and methylation problems might worsen anxiety symptoms.
Once you identify the problems, start with small steps to solve that.
Also, there are tons of tools for managing anxiety without medicine. In my opinion, the best strategies are:
- Regular Inner-smile Meditation (8 weeks at least)
- Self Hypnosis (21 days at least)
- Cognitive Behavior Therapy(Science Based, Easy to Follow, and It Helps Cultivate Philosophy)
- Optimizing Magnesium Plus B6 ( B6 Helps regulate GABA, Serotonin, And Dopamine)
- Using Adaptogens
- Wim Hof Breathing (activating brain areas, the insula, and the anterior cingulate cortex, Reducing inflammation of IL-6 )
Thank You!