What is the role of melatonin in sleep?
Melatonin is a hormone released by the pineal gland in the brain that regulates the circadian rhythm. It is stimulated by darkness and acts as a sleep ‘time-cue’. Melatonin is an important physiological regulator of sleep. Studies have shown a link between declining melatonin production in the body, increasing age and insomnia. Facts about sleep • Approximately one-third of our life is spent sleeping. • During sleep, the body has a chance to replace chemicals and repair muscles, other tissues and aging or dead cells. In children and young adults, growth hormones are released during deep sleep. • During REM sleep breathing becomes more rapid, irregular and shallow, eyes move rapidly, heart rate increases and blood pressure rises. Limb muscles are temporarily paralysed. Brain waves during this stage resemble brain waves during wakefulness. • Most dreams occur during REM sleep and some also occur (but to a lesser extent) in non-REM sleep stages. • Sleep helps boost a healthy immune system
