While melatonin is most commonly known to treat sleep disorders, many may not know that melatonin is closely connected with the our circadian rhythms – our internal body clocks that regulate hormone levels, metabolism, gene expression, sleep and wakefulness, and appetite. The pineal gland produces melatonin, which keeps these rhythms in check.
Disruption of the circadian rhythms and decreases in melatonin can occur from light exposure at night, shift work, long hours, and/or aging, and has been associated with various serious health concerns, including increased risk of cancers, poor cognition, bone loss, sleep and weight issues, heart problems and more.
Join us in this podcast to learn about simple life hacks to minimize circadian disruption and boost the body’s natural production of melatonin.
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Air Date: June 5, 2017
Playtime: 1 hour, 4 minutes
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For questions, please email her at wittp@duq.edu.
>>> Learn more about melatonin and circadian medicine here
>>> Home urine testing for cortisol and melatonin are available here
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Sailaja says
Namaste,
Excellent work John, but there are some questions popping up in middle especially why melatonin levels are high during Brahma muhurtam? If we are supposed to sleep, why Rishis recommend to wake up between 3am and 6 am?
Unlike modern science, Sanatanadharma( Ayurveda is tiny part of it) never changes, our understanding of it may change. It takes in to consideration human as whole ie.,body, mind(sub conscious), consciousness and prepare the soul to align and then merge in super consciousness ultimately. The subtle it is the more powerful and requires more energy to work on. As the work of melatonin is processing, eliminating and rejuvenation of previous days ingested food and thoughts. Processing of food finishes by 2am(pitta time) and thoughts begin there after, hence best time for meditation. The amount of melatonin we use today becomes target production for tomorrow. If light reduces melatonin then don’t use, light ghee lamp and meditate or do bare bone meditation lying on the bed itself when we naturally wakes up during that time( it’s okay to fall back asleep as modern life demands longer day action, but use up melatonin as much as we can). I got this during this time only. So ingest wisdom(of satvic nature) as much as we can during vata of day then process, eliminate and get new thoughts during vata of night.
You talk a lot on placebo effect, that is bcoz of self power. why supplement? when we stimulate by utilising, our body can match the usage, right? Have patience and faith( key teachings of my guru shiridi saibaba).
Thank you for spending your precious time in reading this and tell if it helped or any suggestions.
claudina saldanha says
Hello from Portugal,
Love this postcast, I´ve learn a lot, so thank you for sharing!
I can waiting for the studies about ayurvedic plants that have melatonin.
Regards and have a nice sunday!
Lauire says
John would a blue blocker shade (if there is such a thing) over light bulbs and putting a red light in salt lamps be the same as wearing blue blocker sun glasses?
Elfa Martinez says
I missed listening to the podcast on Melatonin. I’ve tried the cherry juice for insomnia and it didn’t work for me. I am not sure how much to take and how often, or when is the best time.
I have taken melatonin and it helps sometimes.
Is there any specific kind of candles we should use? I read the smell of regular candles was bad for us to breathe.
Thanks for the information you provide.
Elfa
Sharon says
Great podcast and lots of information. I do have a question. When our ancestors slept under the stars and next to fires, did they lose their melatonin? What about the starlight that entered through the cave door? The only time they would have as dark a night as we are trying to create in our bedrooms is when they had a heavy cloud cover. So aren’t we hardwired to have starlight? Not blue light, but light?
I do get that we need to shut things down as the sun goes down to be in the circadian rhythms. To replicate nature. But are we doing what the west does best? Go to the extremes?
Can you clear this up for me? Thank you – Sharon
Claire says
I learned about this from Andreas Moritz who spoke about this many years ago. Groundbreaking? Not so sure but nonetheless very important information for people who didn’t know
Susan says
Thank you so much for this enlightening pod cast. I’ve learned so much. Some of the information I kind of knew but wasn’t sure of and this pod cast has made sense of it all. The other night I didn’t get any sleep and apart from feeling faint the next day the part of my body that was most uncomfortable was my gut – now I know why. The first time I took sour cherry juice I had to go to bed at 5 o clock in the afternoon for a good few hours of deep sleep. It only happened like that the first time I took it though but my sleep pattern definitely improved whilst taking it on a regular basis.
Maria says
Another jewel !!!, fascinating update on melatonin and very professional and informative. Another proof that this wonderful people exist and you can find them. Great pleasure and many blessings to you both.
Regina says
Dr. Witt-Enderby! A former student watching. Duquesne Pharmacy class of 2013. I stumbled upon this, and am glad that I did. Great information from such an intelligent person. I am in the process of becoming a health coach, and hopefully to do something with functional medicine in the future. Great information that I can use to help clients! Thank you!
LifeSpa Staff says
Thanks for the support!
Brianna says
Dr. Witt-Enderby’s discussion on melatonin was amazing! I learned so much from this podcast. Thank you for bringing her on. Would love to hear more from her in the future!
Gita says
Great discussion Dr Douillard on melatonin and it seems quite safe to use. Look forward to future research on herbs with melatonin in conjunction with Dr Paula. Would nervine herbs like Jatamamsi, Brahmi, Ashwagandha etc be a good place to start? And maybe just plain old organic grass-fed ghee?
Jen Laing says
Dr Witt-Enderby rocks! Amazing podcast!! Very informative. Please have her on again,
Ana says
I can’t wait
Dr D always have good lectures, I always learn more than I expect