The Risks of Mixing Alcohol and Melatonin

The Risks of Mixing Alcohol and Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by your body that signals it is time to sleep.[1] When people struggle to sleep, it is frequently recommended that they try resetting their sleep patterns. Some people use alcohol to help them sleep. While it may make you feel sleepy and doze off faster, from there, it causes disruptions to your sleep cycle, and there are no benefits.[2]

Mixing melatonin and alcohol can counteract each other, as melatonin is a sleep enhancer and alcohol is a sleep disrupter. Combining the two can also result in negative side effects. If you or a loved one are struggling with alcohol addiction or mental health conditions causing sleep disturbances, reach out to our treatment center in New Jersey for help today.

What is Melatonin?

Melatonin is a hormone your body produces naturally. The pineal gland in the brain converts serotonin into melatonin. This process is cyclical and light-dependent.[3] This is why exposure to light at night can block the body’s melatonin production. Melatonin helps coordinate the body’s circadian rhythms and promotes sleep.

Melatonin levels naturally rise in the evening as it gets darker, telling your body it’s time to get ready to sleep. As you are exposed to daylight in the morning, your body stops producing melatonin, so you can be awake and alert to start your day.

Melatonin is also sold in the United States as a dietary supplement. Some people use melatonin for jet lag, delayed sleep-wake phase disorder, short-term sleep issues, or sleep schedule disruptions. However, melatonin is not a cure-all for insomnia, and it is not intended to replace healthy sleep habits or medical care when sleep problems are persistent.

Despite the lack of FDA approval and regulation, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has endorsed melatonin’s therapeutic use as a first-line approach for treating insomnia.[4] Melatonin may be beneficial for certain sleep-related concerns, including

• Primary insomnia
• Age-related insomnia
• Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder
• Circadian rhythm disorders
• Jet lag disorder
• Shift work sleep disorder
• Post-traumatic brain injury
• Neurodegenerative disorders
• Migraine prevention treatment

Side Effects of Melatonin

Common side effects of short-term melatonin use are usually mild and can include:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Sleepiness
• Next-day grogginess
• Vivid dreams
• Irritability

These side effects can matter more than people realize, especially if they need to drive, work, care for children, operate machinery, or make important decisions the next morning.

Melatonin can also affect people differently based on dose, timing, age, health conditions, and other medications. Taking too much melatonin may not improve sleep and may instead leave a person feeling more tired, foggy, or out of sync the next day. Taking it too late at night may also make morning drowsiness more likely.

There may also be added concern for people who have sleep apnea, breathing-related sleep disorders, liver disease, a history of substance use, or who take medications for anxiety, depression, pain, seizures, blood pressure, or sleep.

The long-term side effects of melatonin have not been researched sufficiently to determine their potential health consequences. Because of this, melatonin should be used thoughtfully, especially if someone finds that they need it every night or is increasing the dose to get the same effect. Ongoing insomnia, repeated nighttime drinking, or reliance on alcohol or supplements to sleep may be signs that a deeper issue needs medical attention.

Cautions When Using Melatonin

Synthetic melatonin is sold in the United States as a dietary supplement to support sleep. However, it has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a drug for the treatment of any specific health condition. Since melatonin is sold as a supplement, it is not regulated to the level of pharmaceutical drugs.

The FDA does not review dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed in the same way it reviews prescription or over-the-counter medications.[5] This lack of monitoring of supplements, including melatonin, has resulted in varying supplement concentrations despite what is reported on the label. For example, 31 different melatonin supplements were tested, and the concentrations ranged from 83% less to 478% more than what the label claimed the content level was.[6]

Before taking any supplement, you should discuss its use with your healthcare provider. This is particularly important if you have any underlying health conditions or are taking other medications. Just because supplements are sold over the counter and online does not mean they are safe. They can interact poorly with some medications and may have varying concentrations.

How Does Alcohol Affect Your Sleep?

Alcohol use influences sleep in several ways. Initially, alcohol’s sedative effects cause sleepiness and sleep. This has led to the misconception that alcohol can be an effective way to self-medicate for insomnia. While it may speed up how quickly you fall asleep, it is not effective at maintaining sleep, and many people spend more time awake throughout the night after consuming significant amounts of alcohol.

Consuming alcohol before sleep changes rapid eye movement sleep and non-rapid eye movement sleep. Research has found that alcohol may reduce REM sleep in the first half of the night and disrupt sleep in the second half, increasing wakefulness and reducing sleep efficiency. There is also a consistent deterioration in sleep quality among people who have consumed alcohol before sleep.

This means alcohol can create a frustrating cycle. A person drinks to fall asleep faster, then wakes up during the night or feels tired the next day. The next night, they may feel tempted to drink again because they are exhausted. Over time, this pattern can worsen sleep and make it harder to recognize whether insomnia, alcohol use, anxiety, depression, or another issue is driving the problem.

How Do Alcohol And Melatonin Interact?

Mixing melatonin and wine or alcohol of any kind can have negative side effects, and you should not take them at the same time. The most commonly reported effects, while often mild, can be dangerous in certain situations.

• Extreme drowsiness can make it difficult to complete tasks that require focus and attention, such as driving or watching young children.
• Dizziness increases the risk of falls, injuries, and accidents.
• Increased anxiety can lead to increased irritability and higher stress levels.
• Poor coordination can make movement, driving, stairs, and household tasks less safe.
• Nausea, headache, and grogginess may feel worse when alcohol has already disrupted sleep.
• Confusion or reduced alertness can make it harder to respond to emergencies during the night.

There is also a possibility that mixing alcohol with melatonin can affect your breathing. Alcohol can relax your airway muscles when you are sleeping, which can worsen sleep apnea symptoms. If you are in deep sleep because you also took melatonin, it may be harder to wake up if your breathing is restricted due to sleep apnea.

These complications can be avoided by not consuming alcohol while taking melatonin, taking a proper dose of melatonin, and taking melatonin around the time you wish to sleep.

At a minimum, taking alcohol and melatonin at the same time is counterproductive. Alcohol disrupts your sleep-wake cycle and your quality of sleep, while melatonin enhances and promotes sleep. If you take them both at the same time, the alcohol may eliminate the sleep benefits of melatonin.

Seeking Options for Healthy Sleep

Sleep is a basic need for physical and mental health. Sleep problems are common. However, you should work with your healthcare provider to find ways to establish healthy sleep rather than self-medicating with supplements or alcohol.

Healthy sleep habits can help with insomnia, including keeping a consistent sleep schedule, limiting bright screens close to bedtime, avoiding caffeine late in the day, keeping your room cool and dark, and avoiding alcohol near bedtime.[7] If stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, chronic pain, or alcohol use is affecting your sleep, professional support may be more effective than trying to manage the issue with alcohol or supplements.

The use of melatonin and alcohol at the same time is counterproductive and possibly dangerous. They should not be taken at the same time. Before starting any medication or supplementation, you should seek medical advice from a healthcare professional.

Frequently Asked Questions About Alcohol and Melatonin