What is Melatonin and How Does It Work?

Melatonin is like a sleepy helper that helps your body know when it’s time to go to bed.

Imagine you have a special clock inside your brain that tells you when to sleep and when to wake up. This clock uses melatonin, a little chemical message, to let the rest of your body know it's time for night mode.

When the sun goes down, your brain starts making more melatonin. It’s like turning on a soft light in your room that says, “It’s time to relax and get ready for sleep.” This is why you might feel sleepy when it gets dark outside.

If you stay up late playing video games or reading under a bright lamp, your brain thinks it's still daytime. So it doesn’t make as much melatonin. That’s why you might have trouble falling asleep if you’re up too late, your sleepy helper is waiting for the lights to dim!