Stop taking melatonin as a sleep aid, say sleep doctors

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November 11, 2025 Stop taking melatonin as a sleep aid, say sleep doctors By Veronique Greenwood Staff Writer, Health & Science I once heard someone behind me in a cafe describing her kids' bedtime ritual: bath, book, melatonin. I was surprised, because in more than a decade of writing about sleep, I've heard many times to be cautious about melatonin supplements. Maybe those kids were prescribed the hormone by a doctor. But chances are, they weren't, and they're not alone—in the U.S., lots of kids and adults take melatonin as if it were a vitamin, something harmless and potentially helpful. The hormone has more effects than we realize. READ MORE » If you have a minute, please take our quick survey to help us better understand who you are and which health topics interest you most. Take the Survey WHAT ELSE TO READ What Makes a Friendship Last Forever? According to science and real-life best friends.   The Healthiest Way to Clean Your House You don't have to use toxic products to achieve cleanliness.   How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone Embracing alone time doesn't mean you're lonely.   If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, click here. Today's newsletter was written by Veronique Greenwood and edited by Angela Haupt.   Want more from TIME? Sign up for our other newsletters.         Subscribe to TIME TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Connect with TIME via Facebook | Twitter | Newsletters PRIVACY POLICY | YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS Questions? Contact newsletters@time.com Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here © 2025 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved. TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508 Boone, IA 50037-0508, United States of America Terms of Service