Your body naturally makes about 28.8 micrograms of melatonin every day when you're healthy. This normal amount helps your brain keep your sleep-wake cycle and daily rhythm on track.

Taking melatonin supplements for a short time can help adults with insomnia fall asleep faster and feel like they're sleeping better. This effect is commonly seen at doses between 0.5 and 5 milligrams.

This study only tracks how many US adults have been taking melatonin supplements and how those numbers have changed over time. It intentionally does not look at whether the supplements actually help or harm health, keeping the focus purely on tracking usage patterns for public health purposes.

Taking melatonin for a short time can help you fall asleep faster and sleep for a longer period, but experts aren't sure if these improvements are actually noticeable or important in everyday life.

Melatonin doesn't seem to work the same way for everyone with insomnia. While some people get a noticeable boost in how long they sleep, most studies show it only helps a small number of patients compared to a placebo.