Why you don't get enough sleep, even if you sleep 7–9 hours: the truth about melatonin that is rarely told

You go to bed on time, sleep the recommended 7–9 hours, don't spend time on your phone before bed – and still wake up exhausted. In such cases, people often advise "taking melatonin." It seems logical, scientific, and safe. But this is precisely where, as somnologist Olga Kozyk explains, LIGA.net, lies one of the biggest misconceptions in the modern understanding of sleep.What really governs falling asleep, why even an ideal routine doesn't always restore energy, and when pills might not just be unhelpful but actually harmful – the answer is much more complex and unexpected than it seems.Melatonin and sleep: why even the "right" routine doesn't guarantee a feeling of restDespite popular belief, this hormone does not help you fall asleep and is not a sleeping pill. It is produced as a result of sleep, not as a trigger for it – meaning it is a result, not a cause, says Olga Kozyk."Melatonin doesn't cause sleep. It's fundamentally important to understand this because it doesn't work as a sleeping pill," the expert explains.The process of falling asleep is associated with another substance – adenosine. This is a hormone-like biochemical compound (amino acid) that accumulates in the body throughout the day and creates the so-called "sleep pressure". Adenosine is the key factor that helps a person fall asleep."The confusion surrounding melatonin arose historically. When scientists began studying sleep at a biochemical level, melatonin was the first substance that could be clearly linked to sleep, as it is produced exclusively during the dark hours and only during sleep. This gave rise to the misconception that melatonin can act as a sleeping pill.Later, the pharmaceutical industry became actively involved in the process: synthetic melatonin began to be mass-produced and promoted as a sleep aid. Subsequently, it appeared in numerous clinical protocols, although, as the expert emphasizes, from a biochemical point of view, melatonin is not capable of initiating sleep. Therefore, if someone feels that melatonin "works," it is a placebo effect, confirmed by numerous studies," says Olga Kozyk.What factors most often disrupt melatonin production?According to Kozyk, melatonin production can be compared to the feeling of hunger: hunger signals that the body needs food, but it is not food itself. Similarly, melatonin signals night, but it does not "put a person to sleep."The most common factor that disrupts melatonin production is excess light. The human body is not evolutionarily adapted to constant illumination, and modern humans are exposed to lamps, smartphone screens, laptops, and other gadgets almost around the clock.According to the expert, contrary to popular belief, the war itself does not lower melatonin levels. On the contrary, forced power outages in some cases even contribute to its normal production. The problem lies precisely in chronic light overload, which disrupts circadian rhythms.The "post-sleep fatigue" phenomenon: why 7–9 hours don't always mean recoveryEven if a person sleeps for 7–9 hours, and sometimes even 10–12, they may wake up tired – the reason is not melatonin, but a lack of deep sleep, notes the somnologist."Sleep has a distinct phasic nature: light, medium, and deep phases. It is the deep phase that is responsible for the body's recovery. If there isn't enough of it, a person can sleep for a very long time but not feel rested," explains Olga Kozyk.The expert emphasizes that in her practice, she has patients who sleep for 12 hours and still don't get enough sleep. And the key reason in such cases is a deficit of deep sleep, not "incorrect" melatonin.Sleep and adenosine: what is more important than the "biological clock"Melatonin cannot solve sleep problems, regardless of the dose. As Olga Kozyk notes, "you can drink a whole bucket of it, and it won't help at all."According to her, the molecule adenosine, which gradually accumulates in the body from the moment of waking, is much more important for falling asleep.The longer a person stays awake, the more adenosine accumulates, creating what is known as "sleep pressure." After 6–8 hours, its concentration becomes sufficient to cause natural drowsiness."During sleep, adenosine is 'recycled,' and if a person is chronically sleep-deprived, this process doesn't occur, and the feeling of fatigue remains. Therefore, any extra sleep – on weekends or other days – is beneficial. It helps the body get rid of excess adenosine, which is much more important than the fear of 'disrupting' your biological clock," explains the somnologist.The myth of a disrupted biological clock often arises from improper sleep patterns, for example, when a person sleeps during the day from 3 PM to 9 PM and then tries to go to bed again at 10 PM. In such cases, adenosine does not have time to reaccumulate, and no drowsiness is felt.The expert recommends several correct ways to get enough sleep:"Stick" it to the night's sleep: a long sleep in the morning until 12–2 p.m. allows adenosine to accumulate by evening for natural falling asleep.Go to bed earlier in the evening and sleep continuously until morning.A daytime nap with an interval of at least six hours between it and nighttime sleep, so that adenosine has time to reaccumulate.Late sleeping on weekends: how it affects your biological clockThe influence of sleep onset time on internal rhythms depends on a person's chronotype."Owls" can go to bed late without harming their rhythms. Only about 30% of the population are "larks," for whom early sleep is truly natural and beneficial. For most people, going to bed early can be unnatural and even harmful.That's why the universal advice "everyone should go to bed early" is a big mistake. Biological clocks differ, and imposing a single regimen ignores individual characteristics of the body.Falling asleep late in itself does not disrupt the biological clock – the quality of sleep and the body's ability to recover are more important.Is it safe to take melatonin, and when is it really appropriate?According to the somnologist, it is incorrect to talk about the free or prophylactic use of melatonin at all, as it is appropriate only in extremely rare cases."Only about 0.5–1% of people have genuine, genetically determined disorders of biological rhythms. In terms of population, this is approximately one person in 20,000 for whom melatonin may be justified," says Olga Kozyk.She points out that the widespread prescription of melatonin is a consequence of the commercialization of medicine, not a scientifically sound practice.Melatonin, like all xenobiotics, is processed by the liver and excreted through the kidneys, which creates an additional load on these organs. That is why taking it without clear indications can be harmful.Scientists acknowledge the limited usefulness of melatonin in cases of jet lag – a sudden change in time zones. For example, when a person has lived in the same rhythm for many years and then finds themselves in a time zone with a 6–8 hour difference.Under such conditions, it is difficult for the biological clock to adapt quickly, and readjustment can take up to a month. This is when melatonin intake may be temporarily justified as a tool for adapting to a new day and night rhythm.When can sleeping pills be justified, and when are they dangerous?Sleeping pills can only be prescribed in cases of specific, clinically confirmed sleep disorders, emphasizes Olga Kozyk. Most often, such disorders are associated with mental disorders.In such situations, according to the expert, the first line of therapy is not sleeping pills, but psychotropic drugs – antidepressants or neuroleptics. When these drugs are chosen correctly, sleep often normalizes on its own, without the need for additional sleeping pills.Sleeping pills, the somnologist emphasizes, should be prescribed exclusively by a doctor with a clear understanding of the purpose, as they are addictive and their mechanism of action is similar to that of narcotic substances."Real sleeping pills are dangerous drugs. They don't give a person a full night's sleep, but only 'turn off' consciousness," explains Olga Kozyk.As a result, a person is formally asleep, but the body does not rest. In addition, tolerance to such drugs develops quickly – over time, a person needs larger and larger doses to achieve the same effect. This is what makes sleeping pills particularly dangerous.In every case of sleep disturbance, the root cause must be sought. If the problem is, for example, muscle tension, it should be treated directly, rather than masking the symptom with sleeping pills.Thus, both melatonin and sleeping pills are not a universal solution to sleep problems. Without an individual approach and understanding of the physiological mechanisms of their use, they can be not only ineffective but also dangerous.Read alsoHow to get quality sleep: seven mistakes that make you wake up tired

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