Does melatonin help you sleep?
Short answer
A small effect, clearer in children.
Pooled trials find melatonin helps people fall asleep 5.05 to 7.06 minutes sooner. Gains are clearer in children with sleep problems. Reviews disagree for adults with insomnia, and long-term safety is barely studied.
This page says what the research shows. It does not say whether you should take melatonin.
Where the evidence stands
Each dot is one on-topic paper. Steps near the top answer the question more directly. Select a dot to see the study.
↑ Stronger evidence
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Trials in people: sleep onset and sleep quality
Trials that measured sleep, and safety with long-term use directly.
8 -
Trials in people: other measures
Trials that measured other health or performance measures.
2 -
Trials in people: lab tests or safety
Trials that measured lab tests, side effects or safety.
0None among the papers we read.
-
Population studies
Studies that followed or surveyed groups of people. They show links, not causes.
0None among the papers we read.
-
Blood levels and genes
Studies that link blood levels or genes to health.
0None among the papers we read.
↓ Weaker evidence
- Points to benefit
- Mixed
- No difference
- No direction
- Points to harm
Not on the ladder: 9 reviews of many studies (shown below), 1 opinion or narrative paper. Counts are papers, not people. Some studies appear in more than one paper.
See every studyWhat we found
- A 2013 review of 19 studies (1683 people) found melatonin cut time to fall asleep by 7.06 minutes and added 8.25 minutes of sleep versus placebo. Ferracioli-Oda 2013
- In adults with insomnia, prolonged-release melatonin cut time to fall asleep by 6.30 minutes as people reported it and 5.05 minutes as measured; authors call these small to medium effects. Maruani 2023
- A 2022 review of 24 trials found melatonin helped children and teens with long-lasting insomnia, but not adults without other illnesses. Choi 2022
- Short trials reported few side effects, but reviews say long-term side effects are unclear and long-term studies in children are lacking. K 2026, Xu 2020, Yue 2023, Owens 2025
What the research says
Falling asleep: a few minutes faster
Pooled trials agree the gain is small. A 2013 review found people fell asleep 7.06 minutes sooner and slept 8.25 minutes longer than on placebo. A 2023 review of prolonged-release melatonin found 6.30 minutes sooner by self-report and 5.05 minutes by measurement.
A 2024 review of 26 trials found the effect grew with dose up to 4 mg/day, and may be larger when taken 3 h before bedtime. In 64 healthy adults, one 2 mg dose cut falling asleep by 7:04 minutes and added 24 minutes of sleep.
Studies: Ferracioli-Oda 2013, Maruani 2023, Cruz-Sanabria 2024, Pachimsawat 2024
Adults with insomnia: reviews disagree on any benefit
A 2022 review of 154 trials found melatonin did not show overall material benefits, and several sleeping pills worked better. Another 2022 review found no clear gain in adults without other illnesses. A 2023 review found small gains, larger in studies with mean age 55 or older.
In a four-week trial of middle-aged adults with insomnia, 3 mg did not change time to fall asleep or sleep quality scores, though waking too early fell by 30.63 minutes. No paper here studied shift workers.
Studies: De Crescenzo 2022, Choi 2022, Maruani 2023, Xu 2020
Children: clearer gains, but long-term data lacking
A 2022 review found melatonin helped children and teens with long-lasting insomnia fall asleep sooner and sleep longer. In a 12-week trial of 120 children with cerebral palsy, melatonin cut time to fall asleep by 27.72 minutes and added 1.31 hours of sleep versus placebo.
In a small trial of 13 people with Dravet syndrome, a severe epilepsy, melatonin did not increase total sleep. A 2025 review says evidence is lacking for typically developing children and for long-term side effects.
Studies: Choi 2022, K 2026, Myers 2018, Owens 2025
Other illnesses and hospital stays: mixed results
A review of 23 trials found melatonin improved a sleep quality score by 1.24 points, with gains in breathing, metabolic and sleep disorders but not mental or brain diseases. Yet a trial in Parkinson's disease, a brain disease, found sleep quality scores 1.87 points better than placebo.
In intensive care, a review of 32 trials found melatonin may improve reported sleep, with low certainty, but a 334-person trial found sleep quality similar to placebo. After hip replacement, 5 mg gave more sleep on day two; after knee replacement, gains were unclear.
Studies: Fatemeh 2022, Sugumaran 2024, Tang 2025, Mekontso Dessap 2025, Haider 2025, Haider 2024
Safety: few side effects reported, long-term unknown
Trials of up to 12 weeks reported few side effects. In a trial of 1,793 adults taking melatonin or CBD capsules, 12% reported a side effect and none were severe. An intensive care review found melatonin may slightly reduce adverse events.
Reviews say long-term side effects are unclear. Fifteen human studies of pregnancy and breastfeeding raised no major safety concerns in trials for other conditions, but none made insomnia the main outcome.
Studies: K 2026, Saleska 2024, Tang 2025, Yue 2023, Owens 2025, Vine 2022
What reviews of many studies found
Reviews pool or sum up earlier studies. They are not on the ladder, because they repeat studies already counted there.
Pooled review (meta-analysis) · De Crescenzo 2022
Pooled 154 double-blind trials (44 089 people) of 30 insomnia drugs in adults. Melatonin, ramelteon and unlicensed drugs did not show overall material benefits; several sleeping pills worked better than melatonin.
Pooled review (meta-analysis) · Maruani 2023
Pooled 22 studies (4875 people, 925 on melatonin) of adults with insomnia. Prolonged-release melatonin cut time to fall asleep by 6.30 minutes self-reported and 5.05 minutes measured: small to medium effects.
Pooled review (meta-analysis) · Cruz-Sanabria 2024
Pooled 26 placebo trials (1689 observations) in people with insomnia and healthy volunteers. The effect on falling asleep and total sleep grew with dose, peaking at 4 mg/day, and with earlier timing.
Pooled review (meta-analysis) · Tang 2025
Pooled 32 trials (3895 patients) in intensive care. Melatonin may improve reported sleep, may reduce delirium and may slightly reduce adverse events; certainty was low because of bias and inconsistency.
How the research grew
The papers we read span 2013 to 2026. 10 of the 20 on-topic papers came out in 2024 to 2026. The earliest trial in people here is from 2018.
- 2013
- 2018
- 2020
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
- 2026
Each dot is one on-topic paper, colored by what it found. Rings mark key papers:
- 2013. 2013 review: minutes faster to fall asleep. Ferracioli-Oda 2013
- 2022. Largest review: no material benefit in adult insomnia. De Crescenzo 2022
- 2022. Review splits ages: children helped, adults not. Choi 2022
- 2024. Dose review: effect peaks at 4 mg/day. Cruz-Sanabria 2024
- 2026. Cerebral palsy trial: children fell asleep 27.72 minutes sooner. K 2026
Doses tested
10 trial papers gave a set daily amount in mg a day, from 2 to 10. Each dot shows the dose and what the trial found.
- mg a day024681012
- Points to benefit
- Mixed
- No difference
- No direction
- Points to harm
One row per paper, so a trial reported in two papers appears twice.
Who funds this research
2 of 10 trial papers have a company stake: author ties to firms such as Pfizer, MSD, Canopy and Bioprojet, none a melatonin maker. 5 trials have no disclosure in PubMed. This did not change the confidence.
- Company stake 2
- No disclosure in PubMed 5
- No stake declared 3
- Mekontso Dessap 2025Company stake
- Gendy 2020Company stake
- Xu 2020No disclosure in PubMed
- Haider 2024No disclosure in PubMed
- Myers 2018No disclosure in PubMed
- Haider 2025No disclosure in PubMed
- Saleska 2024No disclosure in PubMed
- Sugumaran 2024No stake declared
- Pachimsawat 2024No stake declared
- K 2026No stake declared
Funding rule. A stake is always shown. Confidence is lowered only when every supporting study comes from a party with a stake. "No disclosure in PubMed" means the PubMed record has no conflict-of-interest statement. It does not mean there is no conflict.
All 20 on-topic papers
Each paper shows what it tested, what it found, and who has a stake. Every paper also has its own page that explains how much it counts and how it fits. See every study as a list.
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Oral Melatonin Supplementation for Sleep Disturbances in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial.
120 people · children aged 3 to 12 with cerebral palsy and sleep problems
TestedMelatonin 3 mg raised up to 10 mg a day vs placebo for 12 weeks
At 12 weeks, sleep was 6.29 (0.78) vs 4.98 (0.85) h (MD 1.31; P < 0.001) and time to fall asleep was 43.20 ± 15.57 vs 70.92 ± 14.95 min (MD 27.72; P < 0.001). Side effects were minimal (n = 10).
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyConflict of interest: None.
-
Randomized trial · measured the question itselfHaider et al., 2025The Journal of arthroplasty · PubMed
Does Melatonin Improve Sleep Following Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty? A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.
139 people · adults after hip replacement surgery
TestedMelatonin 5 mg each night vs placebo for 14 days
Sleepiness scores were similar (melatonin: 6.0 ± 4.0; placebo: 6.8 ± 4.5, P = 0.35). Melatonin users slept more on day 2 (6.5 ± 1.7; 5.7 ± 2.4, P = 0.017) and had lower sleep disturbance scores (52.5 ± 9.3; 56.3 ± 9.2, P = 0.040).
MixedNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
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Melatonin on sleep in Parkinson's disease: A randomized double blind placebo controlled trial.
73 people · people with Parkinson's disease and sleep problems
TestedMelatonin 3 mg vs placebo for 8 weeks
Melatonin beat placebo on PSQI score (1.87, 95 % CI: 1.5-2.1) and sleep latency 8.36 (95 % CI 4.38-12.34) and total sleep time 14.51 (95 % CI 5.00-24.41). Side effects were minimal.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyAuthors declare no known competing financial interests.
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Randomized trial · measured the question itselfHaider et al., 2024The Journal of arthroplasty · PubMed
Does Melatonin Improve Sleep Following Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty? A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.
128 people · adults after knee replacement surgery
TestedMelatonin 5 mg each night vs placebo for 14 days
Melatonin patients slept a bit more on days 2 and 3 (placebo: 5.0 ± 2.4, melatonin: 5.8 ± 2.0, P = .084), but differences were not significant. Sleep disturbance scores were similar in both groups.
No differenceNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
-
Randomized trial · measured the question itselfSaleska et al., 2024Journal of the American Nutrition Association · PubMed
The Safety and Comparative Effectiveness of Non-Psychoactive Cannabinoid Formulations for the Improvement of Sleep: A Double-Blinded, Randomized Controlled Trial.
1,793 people · adults with sleep problems
TestedSix capsule products for 4 weeks: 15 mg CBD or 5 mg melatonin, alone or with other cannabinoids; no placebo group
All products, including 5 mg melatonin, improved sleep disturbance scores within groups (p < 0.001). Melatonin formulas did not differ from CBD isolate. 12% reported a side effect and none were severe.
No differenceNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
-
Efficacy of melatonin for sleep disturbance in middle-aged primary insomnia: a double-blind, randomised clinical trial.
97 people · middle-aged adults with long-lasting insomnia
TestedMelatonin 3 mg fast-release, 1 hour before bed, vs placebo for 4 weeks
Melatonin cut early wake time by -30.63min (95% CI, -53.92 to -7.34) but did not change sleep latency, sleep efficiency or PSQI score [1.53(95% CI, -0.55 to 3.61); p = 0.504]. No serious side effects.
MixedNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
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Melatonin for Treatment-Seeking Alcohol Use Disorder patients with sleeping problems: A randomized clinical pilot trial.
60 people · adults seeking treatment for alcohol use disorder with sleep problems
TestedMelatonin 5 mg a day vs placebo for 4 weeks
PSQI sleep scores improved in both groups after 4 weeks, with no clear difference between melatonin 5 mg and placebo.
No differenceCompany stakeAbstract onlySenior author reports industry research funding and donated drugs from firms such as Canopy, Pfizer, Bioprojet, Alkermes; none named as melatonin maker.
-
Randomized trial · measured the question itselfMyers et al., 2018Journal of clinical sleep medicine · PubMed
Randomized Controlled Trial of Melatonin for Sleep Disturbance in Dravet Syndrome: The DREAMS Study.
13 people · children and young people with Dravet syndrome (severe epilepsy) and sleep problems
TestedMelatonin 6 mg regular-release vs placebo, each person tried both
No difference in total sleep or WASO between melatonin and placebo. Of 11 patients with a clear caregiver-reported difference, 8 reported improvement on melatonin (P < .05).
No differenceNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
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Randomized trial · other health measuresMekontso Dessap et al., 2025Intensive care medicine · PubMed
Melatonin for prevention of delirium in patients receiving mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit: a multiarm multistage adaptive randomized controlled clinical trial (DEMEL).
334 people · adults in intensive care on breathing machines
TestedMelatonin 0.3 mg or 3 mg each night vs placebo, up to 14 nights; main goal was delirium, sleep quality was a side measure
Delirium was 80/147 (54.4%) with low-dose melatonin vs 85/154 (55.2%) with placebo, risk ratio, 0.986 [95% CI 0.803 to 1.211]. Sleep quality and other secondary results were similar between groups.
No differenceCompany stakeAbstract onlySome authors report fees from medical device and drug firms; no melatonin maker named.
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Randomized trial · other health measuresPachimsawat et al., 2024Pharmacology research & perspectives · PubMed
Exogenous melatonin's effect on salivary cortisol and amylase: A randomized controlled trial.
64 people · healthy adult volunteers
TestedOne dose of prolonged-release melatonin 2 mg at 8 pm vs placebo, each person tried both
Melatonin shortened time to fall asleep by 7:04 min (p = .037) and added 24 min of sleep (p = .006). Morning cortisol was higher (p = .023). Main goal was stress hormones.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyNo conflicts declared; funder (Mahidol University) had no role.
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Melatonin Use in the ICU: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
32 studies, 3,895 people · adults in intensive care units
TestedMelatonin vs no melatonin in the ICU
Melatonin may improve reported sleep quality (SMD 0.54; 95% CI, 0.01-1.07; low certainty) and may reduce delirium (RR 0.72). Adverse events may be slightly fewer (low certainty).
Points to benefitCompany stakeAbstract onlyFunders listed are research bodies and unrelated firms (Ceribell, Dexcom); no melatonin maker named.
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Optimizing the Time and Dose of Melatonin as a Sleep-Promoting Drug: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis.
26 studies · people with insomnia and healthy volunteers
TestedMelatonin vs placebo at different doses and times; effect on time to fall asleep and total sleep time
Melatonin gradually reduced time to fall asleep and raised total sleep time, peaking at 4 mg/day. Taking it 3 h before bedtime may work better than 2 mg 30 min before.
Points to benefitNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed; funded by Fondazione Arpa and Italian Ministry of Health.
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Efficacy of melatonin and ramelteon for the acute and long-term management of insomnia disorder in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
22 studies, 4,875 people · adults with insomnia disorder (mostly prolonged-release melatonin trials)
TestedProlonged-release melatonin or ramelteon vs placebo
Prolonged-release melatonin cut self-reported time to fall asleep by 6.30 min and measured time by 5.05 min, and raised sleep efficiency by 1.91%. In studies with mean age 55 or older, sleep efficiency rose 2.95%.
Points to benefitNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
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Efficacy and tolerability of pharmacological treatments for insomnia in adults: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.
69 studies, 17,319 people · adults with primary insomnia
Tested20 sleep drugs, including melatonin receptor agonists, vs placebo and each other
Orexin drugs beat melatonin receptor agonists for time to fall asleep, waking and sleep efficiency. Melatonin receptor agonists may help sleep-onset insomnia with good safety. Long-term side effects of all drugs are unclear.
Points to benefitNo stake declaredAbstract onlyThe authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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Effect of melatonin supplementation on sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
23 studies · adults with various illnesses (lung disease, metabolic disorders, sleep disorders, mental disorders, brain diseases)
TestedMelatonin vs placebo, sleep quality scored on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI, lower is better)
Melatonin lowered PSQI scores (WMD: - 1.24; 95% CI - 1.77, - 0.71). Studies differed a lot (I2 = 80.7%). Benefit was seen in lung disease, metabolic disorders and sleep disorders, but not in mental disorders or brain diseases.
Points to benefitNo disclosure in PubMedAbstract onlyNo disclosure in PubMed.
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Comparative effects of pharmacological interventions for the acute and long-term management of insomnia disorder in adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.
154 studies, 44,089 people · adults with insomnia disorder
Tested30 sleep drugs including melatonin, compared with placebo and each other; short-term and long-term use
Melatonin did not show overall material benefits. Benzodiazepines, eszopiclone, zolpidem and zopiclone were more efficacious than melatonin, ramelteon and zaleplon (SMD 0·27-0·71).
No differenceCompany stakeAbstract onlySome authors report fees from Angelini Pharma, Lundbeck-supplied melatonin for another trial, and Janssen trials; one is a Boehringer Ingelheim employee.
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Efficacy of melatonin for chronic insomnia: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
24 studies · children, teens and adults with long-lasting insomnia, with or without other illnesses
TestedMelatonin vs placebo
In adults without other illness, melatonin did not clearly help time to fall asleep, total sleep time or sleep efficiency. It helped in children and teens. Only one adult study had other illnesses.
MixedNo stake declaredAbstract onlyThe authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
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Melatonin use during pregnancy and lactation: A scoping review of human studies.
15 studies · pregnant and breastfeeding women
TestedReview of studies of melatonin use in pregnancy and breastfeeding
Fifteen studies were found; none had insomnia as the main outcome. Trials for other conditions did not suggest major safety concerns. Authors say use in pregnancy and breastfeeding is probably safe.
No differenceNo stake declaredAbstract onlyThe authors report no conflicts of interest.
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Meta-analysis: melatonin for the treatment of primary sleep disorders.
19 studies, 1,683 people · adults and children with primary sleep disorders
TestedMelatonin vs placebo
Melatonin cut time to fall asleep by 7.06 minutes [95% CI 4.37 to 9.75] and added 8.25 minutes [95% CI 1.74 to 14.75] of sleep. Sleep quality scores improved (SMD = 0.22).
Points to benefitCompany stakeAbstract onlyPartly funded by Eli Lilly research fellowship and award; authors say no patents or products to declare.
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Melatonin use in the pediatric population: an evolving global concern.
children and teens
TestedReview of melatonin for children's sleep: how well it works and how safe it is
Studies, mostly in children with developmental disorders and insomnia, suggest melatonin is generally safe. Evidence is lacking for typically developing children and for long-term side effects. Products vary in content.
No weight on the ladderNo stake declaredAbstract onlyAuthor reports no financial or non-financial benefits related to the topic.
21 papers we read and set aside as off topic
- Singh et al., 2023. Blue-light filtering spectacle lenses for visual performance, sleep, and macular health in adults. (systematic review)
- Li et al., 2024. Sleep disturbances and female infertility: a systematic review. (systematic review)
- Chandra Shekhar et al., 2024. Standardized Extract of Valeriana officinalis Improves Overall Sleep Quality in Human Subjects with Sleep Complaints: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Study. (randomized trial)
- Xu et al., 2024. Enhanced external counterpulsation improves sleep quality in chronic insomnia: A pilot randomized controlled study. (randomized trial)
- Lopresti et al., 2021. An investigation into an evening intake of a saffron extract (affron®) on sleep quality, cortisol, and melatonin concentrations in adults with poor sleep: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-dose study. (randomized trial)
- Shen et al., 2025. Differential benefits of 12-week morning vs. evening aerobic exercise on sleep and cardiometabolic health: a randomized controlled trial. (randomized trial)
- Wang et al., 2025. Psychological Interventions and Sleep Improvement for Patients with Gastric Cancer: Effects on Immune Function, Inflammation, and Tumor Progression-A Randomized Controlled Trial. (randomized trial)
- Khalid et al., 2024. Effects of magnesium and potassium supplementation on insomnia and sleep hormones in patients with diabetes mellitus. (randomized trial)
- Zerón-Rugerio et al., 2025. Daily walnut consumption increases 6-sulfatoxymelatonin urinary levels and can improve sleep quality: a randomized crossover trial. (randomized trial)
- Lee et al., 2022. Electroacupuncture for treating cancer-related insomnia: a multicenter, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled, pilot clinical trial. (randomized trial)
- Lau et al., 2024. Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Sleep Disturbance in Post-acute COVID-19 Syndrome. (trial, not randomized)
- Cheah et al., 2022. Orthopedic sleep and novel analgesia pathway: a prospective randomized controlled trial to advance recovery after shoulder arthroplasty. (randomized trial)
- Lee et al., 2024. A randomized clinical trial of the impact of melatonin on influenza vaccine: Outcomes from the melatonin and vaccine response immunity and chronobiology study (MAVRICS). (randomized trial)
- Shechter et al., 2018. Blocking nocturnal blue light for insomnia: A randomized controlled trial. (randomized trial)
- Ghotbi et al., 2020. The µMCTQ: An Ultra-Short Version of the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire. (other)
- Peketi et al., 2022. Melatonin Prescribing in Assisted Living. (population study: one-time survey)
- Shimura et al., 2024. Factors associated with hypnotics polypharmacy in the Japanese population. (population study: one-time survey)
- Lin et al., 2025. Effects of Shallow Needling for Chronic Primary Insomnia: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. (trial plan, no results yet)
- Ozone et al., 2024. Efficacy and Safety of Transitioning to Lemborexant from Z-drug, Suvorexant, and Ramelteon in Japanese Insomnia Patients: An Open-label, Multicenter Study. (trial, not randomized)
- Pride et al., 2026. Sleep-wake dysregulation and altered melatonin in neurofibromatosis type 1. (population study: one-time survey)
- Nygren et al., 2025. Trends in hypnotic drug use in depression 2007-2017: A Swedish population-based study. (population study: followed a group)
Words on this page
- SMD (standardized mean difference)
- A way to compare results measured on different scales. About 0.2 is a small effect, 0.5 medium, and 0.8 large.
- Relative risk (RR)
- Compares the risk in two groups. 1 means no difference. 0.85 means 15% lower risk.
- 95% CI (confidence interval)
- The range where the true result likely lies. If the range includes no effect (1 for ratios, 0 for differences), the result is not clear.
- p-value (p =)
- How likely a result this large would be by chance if there were no real effect. Below 0.05 is usually called a clear result.
- Placebo
- A dummy pill or fake treatment, so people do not know which group they are in.
- Pooled review (meta-analysis)
- A study that combines the results of many earlier studies to get one overall answer.
How the short answer is set
Fixed rules turn the studies into the short answer, so the same studies always give the same answer. The rules start from GRADE, a standard system for rating evidence, in plain language.
| Confidence | What it means |
|---|---|
| High | We are confident the answer is right. |
| Moderate | The answer is probably right, but it could change. |
| Low (this page) | The answer may well change. |
| Very low | Any answer is very uncertain. |
| Not tested in people | Only cell or animal studies exist. |
Why low here
- Many placebo trials and reviews measured sleep itself in people.
- Reviews disagree: some find small gains, a large review found no material benefit.
- Many trials are small, and one review rated certainty low for bias.
- Long-term safety is barely studied; the longest trial here lasted 12 weeks.
Hard limit used. The longest trial here lasted 12 weeks, so these papers cannot show melatonin is safe over years of use.
How this page was made
Label
- Search
- PubMed, Nov 14, 2026. Searches written by Claude Opus 5.5; papers ranked by PubMed
- First read of all 41 papers
- Claude Sonnet
- Independent second read
- Claude Haiku
- Disagreements settled by
- Claude Opus 5.5
- Page text written by
- Claude Opus 5.5
- Charts
- Drawn by code from the study records
- Source check by a person
- Not yet. Required before search engines may list this page.
- Expert review
- No
- Papers read in full
- 0 of 41; all from PubMed abstracts
- Method
- v0.2, created Nov 14, 2026
Search. We ran four PubMed searches for melatonin supplements and sleep, and safety with long-term use: pooled and systematic reviews since 2012 (10 of 181), trials in people (22 of 500), population studies (10 of 190). The first number is how many papers we read; the second is how many PubMed found. We took the ones PubMed ranks as most relevant. See the full PubMed search. Of the 41 papers read, 20 were on topic.
Limits. Digestery reads at most about 60 papers per question, so large fields are sampled, not covered in full. Abstracts can leave out key details, such as side effects and funding.
Review queue
These items wait for a person. Search engines are asked not to list the page until the first one is done.
- OpenThe short answer is new. It waits for a source check by a person.
- OpenHaider 2024 (knee) and Haider 2025 (hip): same team, same design, overlapping 2021 enrolment; check for shared patients.
- OpenYue 2023 pools melatonin with ramelteon as one drug class; confirm it belongs on this page.
- OpenMekontso Dessap 2025 (ICU delirium trial): sleep quality only a secondary outcome; relevance was disputed between reads.
- OpenSugumaran 2024: sleep latency 8.36 and total sleep time 14.51 have no units in the abstract; check the full text.
- OpenSaleska 2024: no placebo arm and no disclosure in PubMed; check who made and funded the products.
- OpenXu 2020: conclusion claims gains in total sleep time and REM sleep not shown in the abstract results.
- OpenCompany stake for Mekontso Dessap 2025 and Tang 2025 rests on firms unrelated to melatonin; confirm the stake rule fits.
- OpenNo disclosure in PubMed for trials Xu 2020, Haider 2024, Myers 2018, Haider 2025, Saleska 2024; check full texts.
Page history
| Date | Change | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 14, 2026 | Page created from 41 papers. | First version of the page. |
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