Melatonin is a hormone that is produced naturally in our bodies. Melatonin is made by the pineal gland which is a small, pea-sized gland in the middle of the brain. Our body produces malatonin during hours of darkness. Melatonin helps our bodies regulate day and night. This is all part of our circadian rhythms.
Young people have much more melatonin in their body than older people.
Some researchers think that this may be related to the fact that young people fall asleep so much easier than older people. In recent years and months, there have been an increasing number of news reports extolling the benefits of melatonin. Several recent reports have caused many people to try melatonin. It is available in health food stores, but there is plenty of reason to be cautious. Not nearly enough is known yet about melatonin.