Melatonin

4 articles published between January 26, 2026 and August 6, 2026.

EXPLAINER

Sleep medicine's own guideline suggests clinicians not use melatonin for insomnia

The pooled effect is about seven minutes off the time it takes to fall asleep. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends against it — on evidence it grades as weak in both directions.

4 min read

ANALYSIS

For jet lag, the evidence on melatonin is unusually strong. Timing is the catch.

A Cochrane review found melatonin reduced jet lag in nine of ten trials. Sleep medicine's own guideline rates it a first-tier option for jet lag disorder. Take it at the wrong hour and it can make things worse.

4 min read

ANALYSIS

One drug came through 158 delirium-prevention trials with the evidence intact

A network meta-analysis of 41,084 surgical patients over 60 ranked 52 drug interventions. Dexmedetomidine held up after high-risk trials were excluded; almost nothing changed length of stay or mortality.

4 min read

ANALYSIS

Melatonin is the top cause of accidental medicine exposure in under-sevens, a review finds

A systematic review located 19 articles on melatonin in children aged 0 to 6. Trials covered 167 children, all with neurologic conditions. There was no efficacy data for typically developing children.

4 min read

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Melatonin

Sleep medicine's own guideline suggests clinicians not use melatonin for insomnia

For jet lag, the evidence on melatonin is unusually strong. Timing is the catch.

One drug came through 158 delirium-prevention trials with the evidence intact

Melatonin is the top cause of accidental medicine exposure in under-sevens, a review finds

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