Unlocking the Power of Melatonin

Speaker 1 0:01

Everybody knows how I feel about sleeping tablets for shift workers , because when you take a sleeping tablet , you are literally unconscious and you are not going through your normal sleep cycles . In today's episode of the podcast , I feel it necessary to talk about melatonin . Melatonin also is not a sleeping tablet . In fact , melatonin has very little to do with the actual sleep or putting you to sleep . So in today's episode , I'm going to discuss melatonin , what it does and what its role is beyond actually notifying your body of darkness .

Speaker 1 0:45

Shift work can be brutal , but it doesn't have to be . Welcome to a healthy shift . My name is Roger Sutherland , certified nutritionist , veteran law enforcement officer and 24-7 shift worker for almost four decades . Through this podcast , I aim to educate shift workers using evidence-based methods to not only survive the rigours of shift work but thrive . My goal is to empower shift workers to improve their health and wellbeing so they have more energy to do the things they love . Enjoy today's show . Welcome back to A Healthy Shift .

Speaker 1 1:23

I'm your host , roger Sutherland , and today I just feel like I need to talk about the often misunderstood world of melatonin . Now , this little hormone is sometimes thought of as our quick fix for sleep , but there's so much more to it , and especially when we look at its role in cancer prevention and overall health . That's right , you heard it right . So let's get very , very clear on what melatonin is , what it does and why . It's not as simple as popping a pill to fall asleep . So first of all , let's discuss what is melatonin , because melatonin is often thought of as a sleep hormone . In fact , it's referred to as a sleep hormone , but its primary role is actually as a circadian rhythm regulator . Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland in our brain , which is a very , very small gland , but small gland in the base of our brain , and once the eye no longer registers blue that 480 nanometers of light then it signals to the hypothalamus that it's dark , which notifies the pineal gland to start secreting melatonin . And what this does is it signals our body that it's time to wind down and prepare for rest . Now what it's doing is it's actually notifying your body that it's dark outside . That's all it's doing . It just notifies your body that it's dark . Melatonin does a lot more than this , though , with some surprising and very , very powerful benefits , and we are learning more and more about melatonin as time goes by , particularly of recent times . So what does melatonin really do in the body ?

Speaker 1 3:16

Melatonin's main job is to sync up our body clock . It helps our cells , tissues and organs all know the time of day Well , it lets them know whether it's light or whether it's dark , so that they can all work efficiently and in harmony with each other . So what I want you to imagine melatonin as is a conductor . It's leading an orchestra , and what it's doing is it's helping every instrument in our body play at exactly the right time so that our body is functioning smoothly . Now , this circadian signal also helps to regulate everything from our hormone release to our immune response to cell repair .

Speaker 1 3:58

Even and this is why melatonin doesn't act like a sedative or a sleeping pill . Instead , what it does is it just gently prepares your body for rest , but it won't knock you out like traditional sleep aids might . Now , this is the biggest misconception of them all . Melatonin is not a sleeping tablet , and here's the thing that I want you to remember Melatonin is not a sleeping pill . By taking it won't make you fall asleep . So if you're thinking that you can take a melatonin , lie in bed and all of a sudden , you'll drift off effortlessly within minutes , this is a massive misconception , because melatonin's function is so much more nuanced than that misconception , because melatonin's function is so much more nuanced than that .

Speaker 1 4:49

When we artificially increase our melatonin levels through supplements , it can actually help with our sleep timing , especially for us shift workers or when trying to adjust to a new time zone . Hello travellers , but increasing melatonin doesn't force you to sleep and taking a larger dose won't necessarily make you sleep better or faster or longer . In fact , in most cases , more is definitely not better . When it comes to melatonin , in typical doses wait for it . Doses wait for it around 0.3 to 3 milligrams is often enough to help people , especially the shift workers , to adjust to their sleeping schedules . Going beyond that range won't necessarily enhance any benefit and actually it might even throw you completely off rhythm .

Speaker 1 5:43

It's important to understand that there's two types of melatonin and the first one is our exogenous melatonin and that is what we take as a supplement . So when you are traveling or you're traveling into a new time zone and you can use melatonin to actually just shift you into the new time zone , so it actually just helps you to notify the body that it's dark at that time , that it is dark so that you can sleep properly , so that you can start re-syncing your body clock to the new time zone , because it helps with that . But then we have our endogenous melatonin , and endogenous means it comes from within , which is coming from our pineal gland , as soon as our eye no longer recognises that there is any blue spectrum light which is at 480 nanometres hitting the eye . So once it's dark , then it actually signals to the pineal gland release the melatonin , release the melatonin , and it does , and then that notifies the rest of your body that it's dark , starts to shut it all down so that it goes into rest and repair , and that makes it much easier for our body to actually fall asleep . But it's not a sleeping tablet . So keep those two in mind All right .

Speaker 1 7:00

Now melatonin's surprising role is in cancer prevention as well . We are learning more and more about this now , and this is why we must protect our natural melatonin secretion . So let's explore this , because it's important that we understand this lesser known aspect of melatonin . Research is revealing that melatonin is much more than a circadian rhythm regulator . It's also a very powerful antioxidant , because melatonin helps to protect cells from damage , it reduces oxidative stress and it boosts our immune response . But these actions make melatonin particularly interesting in the context of cancer as well , because studies are increasingly showing that melatonin might lower the risk of certain cancers , particularly those cancers that are related to circadian disruption , which are , in fact , breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men . This is where shift workers need to pay really close attention , because by stabilizing circadian rhythms , melatonin helps to reduce the chaos that can lead to cellular dysfunction and even tumor growth .

Speaker 1 8:20

I really want you to keep that in mind , that when our circadian rhythm is disrupted let's just say from constant light exposure at night or irregular sleep patterns , the body's production of melatonin is thrown off , and for shift workers , this disruption could literally be a daily reality . With poor management , and as melatonin levels drop , it's harder for the body to perform those protective functions , because it's all for the body to perform those protective functions , because it's all over the place . Over time this can lead to higher rates of inflammation , higher rates of oxidative stress and even DNA damage . That's why we must protect our melatonin production . Our natural melatonin production is key , and especially for us shift workers working those rotating shifts .

Speaker 1 9:12

So why does the quality of light exposure matter for melatonin ? And one of the best ways to naturally regulate your melatonin levels is to manage your light exposure . And what does Roger say ? Get your light diet right . Just say get your light diet right . Of all the diets to get right , the light diet is the most important because melatonin production starts in dim or in dark environments . In fact , even small amounts of artificial light at night , whether it's from a screen , a street light or the bathroom light , can literally reduce melatonin production , and that will disrupt your natural rhythm .

Speaker 1 9:51

Do we want that ? Think about it . While you're lying in bed just scrolling on that phone , you are actually removing your cancer's lifeguard . You're disrupting your sleep . Watching TV in bed , you're disrupting sleep . You're causing yourself all sorts of problems without realizing . So what is the takeaway here ? We've got to try and keep our lighting low or zero blue in the evening , and we have to avoid screens after dark . Well , as much as possible . An exposure to natural daylight during the day is also just as essential for regulating melatonin and supporting your sleep-wake cycle . Think about it Daylight during the day we are telling our body we are wide awake At night . We don't want the light to confuse our body . This is especially critical for our shift workers who don't always follow that standard day-night routine . So what are our key takeaways on melatonin .

Speaker 1 10:54

Let's wrap it up just quickly , because it's only a short one today and that's all it needs to be , but I just wanted people to understand what melatonin is . Melatonin is a circadian rhythm regulator . It does not knock you out , but it signals to your body that it's time to start preparing for that rest . So I want you to think of it like a time setter rather than a sleep enforcer . The next point that I want you to remember more than anything else is more is not better . Higher doses don't lead to a better sleep .

Speaker 1 11:30

Stick to the minimal dose if you're considering supplementation , typically between 0.3 to 3 milligrams . And I'll also give you a word of advice Melatonin that you buy off the shelf in a supermarket or off any online store is actually the efficacy of it is appalling . Even the difference between doses from one pill to the next in the same batch can be enormously different . We need to be very , very careful just buying any supplement off the shelf . The secret to getting a decent melatonin is to speak to your doctor and to get a script for it , and then you are getting a pharmaceutical grade , which is an approved level , tested melatonin that you know is the right dose and that will really help you . And it only needs to be small . As I said , 0.3 to 3 milligrams is more than enough . It's just got a signal to your body that it's getting dark Now . The other thing we've got to keep in mind as a key takeaway is that it's cancer prevention role , because melatonin's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties support cellular health , which may reduce that cancer risk , especially for you shift workers who face those horrendously disrupted circadian rhythms .

Speaker 1 12:54

And number four protect your natural melatonin production . Don't just naturally supplement Think about that exogenous melatonin . And we do this by managing our light diet , getting it dead right . So get plenty of natural daylight outside during the day and then keep those lights down low or with zero blue lighting at night to help to maintain your body's natural melatonin rhythm . So by understanding what melatonin actually does and then using your lifestyle mindfully , you can improve not only your sleep but also your overall health , especially if you are a shift worker dealing with those irregular hours .

Empowering Shift Workers for Health

Speaker 1 13:43

So thanks for joining me today on a healthy shift . I really do hope that this has given you some fresh insights into the true power of melatonin , beyond just that sleep and remember knowledge is power , especially when it comes to that shift work health , and be sure to tune in next time . And if you found this episode helpful , please share it with a fellow shift worker . And until next time , stay well and take care of yourself . I'll catch you on the next one . Thank you for listening . If you enjoyed this episode , be sure to subscribe so you get notified whenever a new episode is released . It would also be ever so helpful if you could leave a rating and review on the app you're currently listening on . If you want to know more about me or work with me , you can go to ahealthyshiftcom . I'll catch you on the next one .