title: Low dose melatonin improves sleep in healthy middle-aged subjects.
abstract: We studied the effects of single evening doses of melatonin (0.3 mg and 1.0 mg orally) on polysomnographically measured sleep in 15 healthy middle-aged volunteers, using a placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over design. Compared to placebo, the 1.0 mg dose of melatonin significantly increased Actual Sleep Time, Sleep Efficiency, non-REM Sleep and REM Sleep Latency. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that low dose melatonin has hypnotic effects in humans. It is possible that administered melatonin may have a role to play in the treatment of sleep disorders.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Psychiatry, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Attenburrow
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cowen
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Sharpley
mesh_terms: D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D008550:Melatonin