This article has been medically reviewed by Nisha Chellam, MD and Jaclyn Tolentino, DO. It contains additional reporting by Jennifer Chesak.
I hear from patients all the time who have tried melatonin supplements to fall asleep. And I am constantly being asked, “Why doesn’t melatonin work for me?”
This sleep-associated hormone might not be working for you for several reasons. Here are two of the most common.
- You may not need to take melatonin.
- You may need to take melatonin differently than you are.
In this article, you will learn what melatonin is, how it's used to help with falling asleep, when and how to take it, and some alternative sleep solutions.
What is melatonin exactly? What is it used for?
Melatonin may not work for everyone. To understand why, we need to take a closer look at what melatonin is and the way it works.
Melatonin is a hormone that signals the body to prepare for sleep. It's produced by the pineal gland—a pea-sized structure in the middle of the brain.
Light from the sun during the day and darkness at night control melatonin levels. Light and darkness therefore sync our circadian-rhythm, our body's sleep-wake cycle.

Our retinas have photoreceptors, cells that are sensitive to light. In the morning, when our eyes are exposed to light, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the brain's hypothalamus receives electrical signals. The SCN is our body's master clock, and it syncs the "clock genes" throughout our body. Light suppresses melatonin production through its influence on the SCN, which influences the pineal gland.
When the sun goes down, the same processes help signal melatonin secretion. In response to darkness, melatonin levels rise quickly to help prepare your body for sleep.
However, artificial light, including from our electronic devices or from light pollution in cities, can trick the brain into thinking we're still in daylight. This suppresses our production and secretion of melatonin. That’s why you may not get sleepy when you’re scrolling on your smartphone or tablet, when watching TV, or when a street light shines through your bedroom window.
Around one-fifth of adults in the United States report not getting enough sleep, according to a 2022 study published in JAMA, the journal of the American Medical Association.
Millions of people turn to supplemental melatonin as a solution for trouble falling asleep. The researchers found that of the more than 55,000 participants surveyed, more than 2% use melatonin supplements.
However, melatonin may not work for everyone.