Melatonin for immune health
I am a big believer in the saying that ‘the best things in life are free’. And this includes one of the most potent immune stimulators - sleep!
Our bodies cannot have a good night sleep without our number 1 sleep promoting chemical - melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone (chemical messenger) that is produced by a tiny little gland in the brain known as the ‘pineal gland.’ This pineal gland is controlled by the 24 hour light/ dark cycle (also known as the circadian rhythm), and requires sufficient natural light during the day and darkness in the evening to produce adequate amounts of melatonin for sleep. Melatonin levels peak at night, helping us to have a restful sleep.
So why am I banging on about melatonin? Well, melatonin levels are much higher in children and women in their third trimester of pregnancy - the exact group of people who experience less severe symptoms from COVID-19 infection. This has lead some researchers to theorise that melatonin is protective against our biological response to coronavirus.
How may melatonin reduce the impact of coronavirus? Coronavirus is known to stimulate extreme inflammation in the body, resulting in complications like prolonged fevers, pneumonia and respiratory damage. As a natural anti-inflammatory, melatonin may be able to neutralise this inflammatory process, resulting in less severe symptoms and a milder disease presentation.
As COVID-19 is a relatively new disease, the science is not yet definitive on this theory. However, as improving sleep has proven time and time again to boost the immune system, why not make sleep and melatonin production a priority at this time?
A good nights sleep includes 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep, where we feel refreshed upon waking.
Ways to increase melatonin and sleep quality:
Provide your brain with accurate light/ dark cues
During the day spend ample time in natural light. i.e. go for a walk around the block in the morning, eat your lunch outside if the weather permits, and open your windows and curtains to expose the room to natural light.
In the evening, dim the lights in the house. Melatonin production peaks in the darkness. From 2 hours before bed, avoid devices and TV screens as much as possible which decrease melatonin production through emitting blue lights. Why not swap your phone for a good old fashioned book?
Make sure you are sleeping in a dark environment.
Go to sleep earlier!
Many of us no longer have the excuse of a busy lifestyle for poor sleeping habits. Take advantage of this slower time to get into bed earlier and maybe even set the alarm clock for later.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness techniques such as guided meditations or deep breathing have been proven to increase sleep quality and promote sleep signals. Why not try some free guided meditations before bed on apps like calm, smiling mind or insight timer.
Diet
Avoid caffeine (coffee, black tea, chai tea, dark chocolate, cola drinks) after 10am. Caffeine is a stimulant which stays in the body for over 12 hours and can decrease sleep quality.
Eat sufficient protein - melatonin is made from the amino acid ‘tryptophan’, which is found in protein. Therefore we need to eat adequate protein in the day to build melatonin. Protein sources include: fish, chicken, meat, tofu, eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes. Aim to include a palm sized portion of protein with each meal.
Supplements
For those who struggle with chronically impaired sleep, supplementing with herbs and nutrients may be necessary to re-establish the sleep/ wake cycle.
Herbs that have scientific support in promoting sleep include: Passionflower, Withania, Lavender, Valerian and Skullcap. I am able to make up a lovely sleep promoting herbal mixture in appointments if you feel you need extra support.
References
Besedovsky, L., Lange, T., & Haack, M. (2019). The Sleep-Immune Crosstalk in Health and Disease. Physiological reviews, 99(3), 1325–1380. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00010.2018
Liu, L., Liu, C., Wang, Y., Wang, P., Li, Y., & Li, B. (2015). Herbal Medicine for Anxiety, Depression and Insomnia. Current neuropharmacology, 13(4), 481–493. https://doi.org/10.2174/1570159x1304150831122734
Tan, D. X., Xu, B., Zhou, X., & Reiter, R. J. (2018). Pineal Calcification, Melatonin Production, Aging, Associated Health Consequences and Rejuvenation of the Pineal Gland. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 23(2), 301. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23020301
Zhang, R., Wang, X., Ni, L., Di, X., Ma, B., Niu, S., … Reiter, R. J. (2020). COVID-19: Melatonin as a potential adjuvant treatment. Life Sciences, 117583. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2020.117583