Talking Sleep Season 4
Episode 19
Melatonin
Drs. Abby Strang and Dr. Gautam Ganguly, Guests
Melatonin is an over-the-counter supplement that is often misused. In today’s episode, we talk with Dr. Abby Strang and Dr. Gautam Ganguly about the correct use of melatonin in both children and adults. They also discuss different ways people can get better sleep without melatonin. These include developing healthy sleep routines, using light therapy, and discussing sleep habits with a primary care doctor or sleep specialist.
Dr. Strang is a pediatric pulmonologist and sleep specialist at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware.
Dr. Ganguly is a general adult neurologist who is in private practice and has a special interest in sleep and restorative brain function in neurodegenerative diseases.
Episode Resources
- Health advisory: Melatonin use in children and adolescents
- JCSM letter to the editor | Health advisory: melatonin use in children
- Trends in use of melatonin supplements among US adults, 1999-2018
- Pediatric melatonin ingestions — the United States, 2012–2021
- COVID-19 and pediatric ingestions
- Melatonin natural health products and supplements: the presence of serotonin and significant variability of melatonin content
