Let’s be real for a second. If you’ve ever had trouble sleeping, you’ve probably tried melatonin. It’s everywhere. You walk into the store, see a bottle that says "Extra Strength 10mg," and think: "Well, I really can't sleep, so I better get the strong stuff."
But as someone who builds sleep products for a living, I need to share something that most labels won't tell you:
Melatonin isn't a vitamin. It’s a hormone. And taking massive doses of hormones every night isn't the "safe, natural" fix we think it is. In fact, it might be the reason you feel so tired the next morning.
Here is the simple truth about what melatonin actually does, and why we need to stop treating it like candy.
What Melatonin is Actually Good For
Don't get me wrong, melatonin works. But it has a very specific job.
Think of it like a starter pistol for a race. It tells your body, "Okay, it's dark outside, time to wind down."
It is amazing for two things:
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Jet Lag: If you fly to a new time zone, melatonin helps reset your internal clock.
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The Occasional Reset: If you had a crazy weekend and need to get back on track for Monday.
That’s it. It starts the race. But it doesn't keep you asleep.
The Problem: We Are Taking Way Too Much
Here is the scary part. Your body naturally makes about 0.3 mg of melatonin a night.
But most gummies you buy have 5mg or 10mg.
That is 30 to 50 times what your body needs. Imagine trying to fill a water cup with a firehose. Sure, the cup gets full, but you make a huge mess.
Here is what that "mess" looks like for your sleep:
1. The "Morning Zombie" Effect Ever wake up after taking a gummy and feel like your brain is wrapped in fog? That’s because you took so much melatonin that it’s still floating around in your system when your alarm goes off. You traded a faster bedtime for a slower morning.
2. Your Body Gets Lazy Your body likes to save energy. If you give it a huge dose of melatonin every night, eventually it says, "Cool, I guess I don't need to make my own anymore." Over time, you might find it harder to sleep without it.
3. The Crazy Dreams High doses can push you into very intense, vivid dreaming. It feels like your brain is running a marathon while you sleep. You wake up feeling exhausted because your brain never truly rested.
How We Do Things Differently at RestEase
When building RestEase, a promise is made: I wasn't going to use the "sledgehammer" approach.
I realized that for most of us, the problem isn't that we lack hormones. The problem is that we are just too stressed to fall asleep
So, we took a different path:
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We Focus on "Calm," Not "Force": Instead of knocking you out, we use ingredients like Magnesium and L-Theanine. Think of them like a warm bath for your brain. They help your muscles relax and quiet those racing thoughts.
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We Support Your Natural Cycle: We want your body to do the work, not the pill. We give you the tools to relax so you can make your own melatonin naturally.
The Bottom Line? Melatonin is a tool, not a daily vitamin. Keep it in your travel bag for long flights. But for your nightly routine, let’s focus on relaxing, not drugging.
