Melatonin Dosing: The Right Time, Right Dose, and Jet Lag Rules That Actually Work

Most people take melatonin at the wrong time. They pop a pill 30 minutes before bed, hoping it’ll knock them out - and then wonder why they’re still wide awake, or worse, groggy all morning. The truth? Melatonin isn’t a sleeping pill. It’s a signal. It tells your body it’s time to shift into sleep mode. Get the timing wrong, and you’re not just wasting money - you’re messing with your internal clock.

How Melatonin Really Works

Your body makes melatonin naturally when it gets dark. The pineal gland releases it slowly after sunset, peaking around 2-4 a.m., then dropping off as morning light hits your eyes. That’s your rhythm. Synthetic melatonin doesn’t force sleep. It just nudges your internal clock forward or backward - like resetting a watch.

The problem? Most supplements are poorly labeled. A 3 mg tablet might be fast-release, slow-release, or a mix. The formulation changes everything. Fast-release hits your bloodstream in 30-60 minutes and fades in 4-6 hours. Slow-release spreads the dose out over 6-8 hours, mimicking your body’s natural overnight release.

A 2024 meta-analysis of 27 studies with over 2,400 people found that melatonin’s sweet spot for falling asleep faster is 4 mg - not the 1-2 mg most people start with. But here’s the twist: that 4 mg dose only works if you take it three hours before you want to sleep. Not 30 minutes. Not one hour. Three hours.

The Dose Confusion: Why 1 mg, 3 mg, or 10 mg?

There’s no universal dose. It depends on your goal, your body, and your sleep history.

• For beginners: Start with 0.5 mg. Seriously. Most people don’t need more. A 2024 Sleep Foundation survey showed 62% of users felt better on 1 mg or less.
• For adults with insomnia: 1-3 mg is the typical range. The UK’s NHS recommends 2 mg slow-release, taken 1-2 hours before bed. But if you’ve tried that and it didn’t help, try 4 mg three hours before bedtime. The data says it works better.
• For jet lag: Stick to 1-3 mg fast-release. Slow-release can linger too long and confuse your clock. The Timeshifter protocol, based on flight direction and chronotype, shows this works best.
• Above 5 mg: You’re entering risk territory. Side effects like morning grogginess, vivid dreams, dizziness, and headaches jump sharply. One study found 37% of users over 5 mg reported next-day drowsiness.
• Above 10 mg: Not recommended unless under medical supervision. Higher doses can suppress your body’s own melatonin production - and that’s not something you want to mess with long-term.

Timing: Why 30 Minutes Is Often Too Late

The old advice - “take it 30 minutes before bed” - comes from a time when people assumed melatonin worked like a sedative. It doesn’t. It’s a circadian regulator.

If you’re trying to fall asleep at 11 p.m., taking melatonin at 10:30 p.m. means your blood levels peak right when you’re already trying to sleep. But your body needs time to respond. Think of it like turning down the lights in your house before you go to bed - you don’t flip the switch the moment you crawl under the covers.

For general sleep initiation, aim for 3-4 hours before your target bedtime. So if you want to sleep at 11 p.m., take it between 7 and 8 p.m. This gives your body time to respond to the signal and lower core temperature, which is key for sleep onset.

But there’s an exception: long flights. If you’re on a 10-hour flight and plan to sleep during it, take 1-3 mg of fast-release melatonin 30-45 minutes before you want to nod off. That’s a situational use - not a daily habit.

Jet Lag Protocols: East vs. West, Fast vs. Slow

Jet lag isn’t just about being tired. It’s your body stuck in the wrong time zone. Melatonin helps you shift your rhythm, but the strategy changes depending on which way you fly.

Eastward travel (e.g., Seattle to London): Your body is behind. You need to advance your clock. Take 1-3 mg fast-release melatonin at destination bedtime - even if it’s 1 a.m. your old time. Do this for 3-5 days. Avoid taking it after 4 a.m. local time - it can delay your reset.

Westward travel (e.g., London to Seattle): Your body is ahead. You need to delay your clock. Here’s the trick: take melatonin in the morning at your destination - around 7-9 a.m. - to push your rhythm later. Some experts recommend skipping melatonin entirely and using bright light in the evening instead. But if you’re struggling, 1 mg in the morning can help.

The NHS says 3 mg is fine for jet lag, but only for up to 5 days. Timeshifter, which tracks over 50,000 travelers, recommends no more than 3 mg - and only fast-release. Slow-release? Avoid it. It lingers and blurs the signal your brain needs to reset.

Who Should Avoid Melatonin - And Who Needs More

Melatonin isn’t for everyone.

• Children: Start with 0.5-1 mg. Most kids respond to low doses. The UC Davis Health team recommends increasing by 0.5 mg weekly if needed, maxing out at 2 mg for most. Never give melatonin to a child under 3 without a doctor’s input.
• People with autoimmune disorders: Melatonin can affect immune activity. Talk to your doctor before using it.
• People on blood thinners, diabetes meds, or antidepressants: Melatonin can interact. It’s not always dangerous, but you need to know the risks.
• Those with chronic sleep disorders (ADHD, cerebral palsy, chronic fatigue): The NHS allows up to 10 mg daily under specialist care. This isn’t for self-treatment. These cases need monitoring.

What to Look for in a Supplement

Not all melatonin is created equal. Since it’s sold as a supplement (not a drug), the FDA doesn’t regulate purity or dosage accuracy.

A 2023 study found that 71% of over-the-counter melatonin products contained between 83% and 478% more melatonin than labeled. That’s huge. A bottle labeled “3 mg” could actually be 14 mg.

Look for:

• Third-party tested (USP, NSF, or ConsumerLab seal)
• Clear labeling: “fast-release” or “extended-release”
• No unnecessary fillers like sugar, artificial colors, or gluten if you’re sensitive
• Manufactured in the U.S. or EU - stricter standards than some other countries

What Happens If You Take Too Much?

Taking 5 mg once? Probably fine. Taking 10 mg every night for weeks? You might start feeling off.

Side effects of high doses:

• Morning grogginess (37% of users over 5 mg)
• Vivid or weird dreams (common at 3 mg+, more frequent above 5 mg)
• Dizziness or nausea (8.7% and 6.3% higher risk above 5 mg)
• Headaches (12.4% vs. 5.2% at lower doses)
• Disrupted natural rhythm - your body might stop making its own melatonin temporarily

The good news? These effects fade once you stop. But if you’re relying on melatonin every night for months, you’re masking a deeper issue - poor sleep hygiene, stress, light exposure at night, or an undiagnosed sleep disorder.

When Melatonin Won’t Help - And What to Do Instead

Melatonin fixes timing problems. It doesn’t fix:

• Stress-induced insomnia
• Restless legs syndrome
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Chronic anxiety

If you’ve tried melatonin for two weeks and nothing’s changed, it’s not the dose. It’s the cause.

Try these instead:

• Get 15-30 minutes of morning sunlight - this resets your clock better than any pill
• Turn off screens 90 minutes before bed - blue light blocks natural melatonin
• Keep your bedroom cool (60-67°F) - your core temp must drop to sleep
• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day - even on weekends

Final Rule: Less Is More

You don’t need a high dose. You don’t need to take it right before bed. You just need to take it at the right time - with the right formulation - and give your body space to respond.

Start low. Wait three hours. Use fast-release for jet lag. Avoid slow-release unless you’re treating chronic insomnia under medical guidance. And if you’re still struggling after a few weeks? Talk to a sleep specialist. Melatonin isn’t the answer to everything - but when used right, it’s one of the most powerful tools we have for fixing broken rhythms.