Melatonin News and Research

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Melatonin, also known chemically as N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, is a naturally occurring compound found in animals, plants, and microbes. In animals, circulating levels of the hormone melatonin vary in a daily cycle, thereby allowing the entrainment of the circadian rhythms of several biological functions.

Physicians say eSport players should be treated as college athletes

With more than 80 US colleges offering varsity eSport teams, physicians writing in the British Journal of Medicine say collegiate players should be treated as athletes, with an appropriate level of medical care to promote continuing health.

23 Jan 2019

Brazilian professors propose guidelines for therapeutic use of melatonin

Sixty years after melatonin was isolated and with more than 23,000 published studies showing the many functions of this hormone secreted by the pineal gland, guidelines should be discussed and established for its therapeutic use.

11 Dec 2018

Experts address sleep disorders following traumatic brain injury

Disorders of sleep are some of the most common problems experienced by patients after traumatic brain injury. It is important to recognize and treat these problems early to allow for optimal cognitive recovery, but because they are so common, the importance of treating them is often underestimated.

10 Dec 2018

Researchers identify link between obese teens' sleep health and insulin sensitivity

Researchers at Children's Hospital Colorado have identified a connection between overweight and obese teens' sleep health and their insulin sensitivity.

4 Dec 2018

Melatonin may help children with sleep problems

Similar to adults, children too suffer from sleep problems such as insomnia that causes inadequate and non-restful sleep.

29 Oct 2018

Fewer daylight hours during late pregnancy may increase risk of postpartum depression

Women in late pregnancy during darker months of the year may have a greater risk of developing postpartum depression once their babies are born.

27 Sep 2018

Many parents blame electronics for sleep problems among teens

It's no secret that many teenagers stay up late to scroll through social media or catch up with friends on phones.

17 Sep 2018

Seven activities that prevent you from getting quality sleep during summer

Summer is the season of barbeque, beach trips, and some of the simplest joys of life, but if you're not careful, it can also be the lone enemy of one of the most important joys of them all: sleep.

15 Aug 2018

Exposure to bright light may have big impact on sleep-related behavior in children

Settling youngsters down to sleep at night isn't always easy. Recent research suggests that the amount of exposure children have to bright light in the hour leading up to bedtime -; whether emanating from light bulbs or electronic devices -; can have a big impact on sleep-related behavior.

18 Jul 2018

People living in areas with less sunlight may have high risk of OCD

Living at higher latitudes, where there is also less sunlight, could result in a higher prevalence rate of obsessive compulsive disorder, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

11 Jul 2018

Study finds common risk gene for both job-related exhaustion in shift workers and Alzheimer's

A Finnish study published in the respected SLEEP journal shows that a variation in the melatonin receptor 1A (MTNR1A) gene is linked to the risk of Alzheimer's disease in the elderly.

6 Jul 2018

New medication may treat chemotherapy, radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis

Researchers from the University of Granada have developed new medication which could help to treat and prevent chemotherapy and radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients.

30 Jun 2018

New study finds increase in use of alternative medicines among children

A new study published in JAMA Pediatrics shows that since 2003, the use of alternative medicines, such as herbal products and nutraceuticals, among children has doubled.

19 Jun 2018

Light exposure during sleep acutely impacts measures of insulin resistance

According to preliminary results from a new study, nighttime light exposure during sleep may affect metabolic function. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that light exposure at night during sleep adversely impacts metabolic outcomes.

5 Jun 2018

Study explains anti-obesity effects of melatonin

A new study has revealed the mechanism behind the anti-obesity effects of melatonin, a hormone that is released by the pineal gland in the brain overnight.

11 May 2018

Circadian rhythm discovery may lead to improved light-therapy treatments

A new study has highlighted how body clock processes within the body are influenced by night-time light.

30 Apr 2018

Blue light exposure at night linked to higher risk of developing breast and prostate cancer

A study performed by an international team led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a center supported by the "la Caixa" Foundation, reports a link between exposure to blue light at night and higher risk of developing breast and prostate cancer.

25 Apr 2018

New studies related to causes of liver degradation and possible treatments

A treatment gap remains for many conditions involving damage to the liver, the body's main organ for removing toxins, among other functions. The Experimental Biology 2018 meeting (EB 2018) will feature important research announcements related to the causes of liver degradation and possible treatments.

23 Apr 2018

Survey: Americans turn to foods, drinks, herbs and bedtime rituals to get a good night's sleep

A new survey from Sleep Cycle, the best-selling alarm clock application, reveals that Americans turn to a number of foods, drinks, herbs and bedtime rituals to get a good night's sleep.

29 Mar 2018

Realigning the brain clock to fit night shift patterns could result in better sleep, health

New research published in The Journal of Physiology shows that our brain clock can be shifted by light exposure, potentially to align it with night shift patterns.

28 Mar 2018