Let’s talk Melatonin!

Often when we think of melatonin, we may only think of its benefits for our sleep.

Whilst it is definitely essential for our sleep, melatonin is also an antioxidant that provides multiple benefits for our overall functioning and cellular health.

There is no doubt you may notice an improvement in your skin after a good nights sleep, and no doubt your skin will also show signs when you’ve had a poor nights sleep.
However, melatonin provides a wide array of health benefits that go beyond skin deep!

Melatonin is a hormone which is produced naturally within our body. It is produced and released by our pineal gland within the brain which is responsible for our circadian rhythm, our ‘sleep wake cycle’. This helps control when we fall asleep, and wake up.

Whilst you may be aware of the beauty benefits of sleep, from supporting optimal healing, cellular repair, promoting and replenishing new skin cells. Melatonin also plays a vital role for many of our organs health, and our mental and emotional health, and cognitive support.


In fact, the more we begin to delve into hormones and the foundations for optimal hormone health, one key thing that always stands out is the importance of sleep! 
Specifically how sleep is fundamental when it comes to restoring our health, particularly our hormones!

As melatonin is a hormone, it is responsible for the control, flow and other functions of our body as well as impacting our skin health, from the inside out.


Melatonin also helps regulate many biological functions including:

• Our sleep cycle, and circadian rhythm

• Our immunity and reproductive function


• It provides anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects


• Mood support, reducing anxiety and calming the nervous system

• It helps to neutralise free radical damage


• Now in skincare, it is used topically to protect against the effects of UV damage, hyperpigmentation, and slow down skin ageing


  

Here are 5 ways melatonin can help your skin and overall health, and how you can increase your production of melatonin!


Antioxidant properties

Did you know melatonin is actually an antioxidant, which helps to neutralise and protect against free radical damage?
 This Is essential for cellular health and healing, which helps in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.
 This goes beyond our skin to our overall cellular health.


It improves mood health and calms the nervous system
.
When our melatonin ‘sets in’, it helps increase relaxation. This helps to reduce cortisol, ‘our stress hormone’, which can help to decrease inflammation when under a chronic state. This decrease in cortisol helps to reduce inflammation in the body. Often sleep deprivation, or ongoing poor sleep can impact our skin, as this ongoing inflammation can impact our collagen production and turnover. This can increase sebum production which can deplete our skin of essential nutrients that are required to help maintain optimum skin health.

Mimics Antioxidants function
Melatonin also mimics the function of Vitamin C and E, which both provide key antioxidant properties, and helps to repair against oxidative stress. Vitamin C is essential for collagen production, and cellular repair. Vitamin E provides many protective properties, including neutralising against free radical damage, and protecting against skin conditions contributing to oxidative stress.
 Melatonin also helps stimulate the production of the enzymes which neutralises free radical damage and stimulates the production of antioxidants. 


Hormone Support

Melatonin is key for healthy reproductive functioning and hormone production. If we are in a state of chronic or high stress, whether physical or emotional, overtime this can begin to impact our production of sex hormones, including progesterone and estrogen. High levels of cortisol can impede the production of these hormone as the body perceives it is under extremely high levels of stress, it suppresses ovulation.

Provides additional Support Topically
Melatonin has also gained an increase in popularity for its benefits topically, particularly for its role in skin health and antioxidant properties! 
It has been added to skincare products, and has also shown to be particularly beneficial for treatment against the production of UV damage, hyperpigmentation and reducing premature ageing.

So, how can we promote and regulate melatonin production?



Tips to promote melatonin production:



Lifestyle:
 Aim to avoid screen time at least 30-60 minutes before bed. 
Switch your screens to yellow light (‘night shift mode’) before bed, this switches from the blue light, which is what blocks the conversion of serotonin to melatonin, as the body cannot recognise it is night time, and able to sleep. 


Avoid eating at least 2-3 hours before bed. Aim to have your dinner or last meal of the day 2-3 hours prior going to bed. 
This enables the body to properly break down and distribute its nutrients, so it is not focused on breaking down its food and can transition into the ‘rest and digest’ state.


Have a chamomile tea 30-60mins prior to bedtime to help increase relaxation.



Dietary tips:


Include foods high in tryptophan and glycine.
These essential amino acids, found in lean proteins help the body to convert to molecules which help the production of both melatonin and seratonin, which are important for regulating and supporting mood control.
 Glycine helps to inhibit excretory, or stimulating neurotransmitters in the brain, helping reduce stimulation and overactivity of the brain.


Ensure to eat balanced meals to help stabilise and avoid spikes in blood sugar levels.

Having a balanced meal including healthy complex carbohydrates, fats and protein his essential to help keep your blood sugar balanced, and helping your satiety (fuller for longer). You will be less likely want to snack on sweet or sugary foods after dinner, and preventing hunger late at night.


Include foods containing melatonin,
Tart Cherries and Goji berries both naturally contain melatonin and are natural sleep aid enhancers. 

Eggs, oily fish and omega 3 Fatty acids, fish (like salmon and mackerel) also naturally contain melatonin
. Nuts including pistachios and almonds are among the highest source of omega 3 fatty acids


Avoid inflammatory foods: This includes 
foods high in refined sugar and processed carbohydrates, overly sweetened or processed foods. These are often high in sugars and additives, which can cause a quick spike in insulin levels, and increase blood glucose production. This increase in blood sugar can make it harder for you to fall asleep, as this increase in sugar causes an increase in energy production, and the body is now focused on trying to brake down and utilised its excess energy it has just received.

If lack of sleep is affecting your skin, hormones and overall health, or are struggling to get to the root cause of your skin issues, please have hope and know you can still support and reverse this cycle. I am here help you support you on your health joinery, so you can break free from the cycle of stress affecting your sleep and hormones, and truly heal from the inside out.

Simply send an email, or send an enquiry and I will be in contact with you on your next best steps for your health journey!

Thank you,

Until next time!

Dominique

Skin Nutrition Co. X
contact@skinnutritionco.com.au
www.skinnutritionco.com.au