According to a recent study, melatonin use has been rising amid growing health concerns tied to alcohol and melatonin use. It has been linked to mild anxiety, depression, abnormally low blood pressure, and tremors. Transcend Recovery Community further surveys melatonin use, specifical melatonin with alcohol, and how it may impact one's mental health and well-being. Continue reading to find out more.
Is It Safe to Take Melatonin with Alcohol?
Alcohol use while taking melatonin supplements is not safe for many reasons. For one, it can worsen a person who already has an existing sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea. Additionally, melatonin's potential side effects can be further amplified as a result of the dangerous combination of alcohol and melatonin.
Various complications may arise too with simultaneous alcohol and melatonin use. Some of the complications of the two include the following:
- Induced anxiety
- Breathing problems
- Increased heart rate
- Increased blood pressure
- Disrupted deep sleep cycle and sleep schedule
- Fainting
- Difficulty focusing
Frequent alcohol use or the regular combination of alcohol and melatonin can also lead to poor organ function and may target vital organs such as the liver and kidney. It's always important to seek professional medical advice before taking any supplement or medication.
What is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone that our body naturally makes, controlling our circadian rhythms, and sleep schedules. Melatonin can be found in trace amounts of meats and vegetables. However, supplement versions are used as a sleep aid by people to help them feel sleepy.
Using melatonin is considered safe in small amounts as prescribed and approved by a licensed medical professional. It has little effect on short-term use, especially for people with jet lag, shift workers, or people with difficulty sleeping.
What Are the Risks of Drinking on Melatonin?
When you're engaged in alcohol consumption, it could disrupt your body's normal sleep functions. Some of the following aspects that it may interfere with include:
- Your sleeping patterns
- Sleep quality
- REM Sleep
Since alcohol is considered a sedative, it will affect your body if you mix melatonin and alcohol. Ultimately, it's best to not take any substances with melatonin supplements.
Some of the risks that you may encounter when mixing melatonin and alcohol include the following:
- Headaches and migraines
- Poor sleep quality or sleep problems
- Nausea
- Dizziness risk
- Breathing problems/trouble breathing
Always remember that combining alcohol with any drug may worsen the potential side effects of a given substance or medication, such as meth.
Addictive substances like alcohol affect melatonin in such a way that it may potentially mess up a person's sleep cycle, or could even lead to the worsening of alcohol use disorders—the same way that side effects of melatonin can be worsened if you take it while encountering alcohol addiction.
How Much Melatonin Is Too Much?
If taken in proper amounts, melatonin supplements are beneficial to help a person fall asleep. However, the recommended dose when taking melatonin is 1 to 3 mg. It is best taken 1 to 2 hours before going to sleep for the best results.
When taken in large amounts or with different circumstances at play, taking melatonin can be ineffective and could even become potentially dangerous. Some of the factors that may affect the efficacy of taking melatonin supplements include:
- Taking other drugs or sleeping pills on the side
- drinking alcohol
- Stress
Additionally, doctors do not recommend mixing melatonin with other sleeping pills or other medication that may disrupt and not regulate sleep. You should not take melatonin beyond one or two months.
When you combine melatonin or alcohol with other substances, it may also alter behavioral health conditions that may require a person to attend a rehabilitation program with sober living included for a particular period of continued recovery.
Is There Melatonin Abuse?
Melatonin abuse occurs when a person is taking excessive amounts of the sleep aid than what is recommended by a physician. When this occurs, a person could be dissatisfied when taking melatonin and may increase their dosage without consulting their healthcare provider.
However, unlike drug addiction or alcohol abuse, an individual won't experience withdrawal symptoms or drug dependence, compared to other sedatives and sleep medication.
If someone has a pre-existing mental health disorder, using alcohol and melatonin can worsen their condition. It can affect more than a person's circadian rhythm and melatonin levels, but most of their system functions.
People in rehabilitation from their addiction or substance abuse may be required to reside in recovery apartments or transitional housing as advised by their physician to better focus on their recovery.
Can Transcend Recovery Help with Melatonin and Alcohol Abuse?
Transcend Recovery Community collaborates with its partner rehabilitation programs in providing support to individuals who are under an outpatient program. What we provide is a positive and motivational environment conducive to recovery.
Individuals can stay in a halfway house while finishing their recovery program and receive emotional, spiritual, and mental guidance together with fellow residents.
Contact us to find out how Transcend can help you with your addiction problem today. Talk to our recovery specialists and learn the first steps toward long-term sobriety.
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