SEATTLE — Getting a good night's rest isn't always easy for everybody, and that applies to kids and teens too. A recent study shows more young people are turning to a supplement known as melatonin, to help them fall asleep.
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that's released in the pineal gland in the brain in response to decreased light.
Dr. Susanna Block is a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente in Seattle.
"So it's kind of our body's trigger to start to go to sleep and that's something that we make ourselves," Block told KING 5.
The hormone maintains our circadian rhythms to help cue us when it's time to sleep. Ever been jet lagged? That's when your brain hasn't gotten used to changes in that rhythm.
But there are synthetic forms of melatonin, taken orally, that mimic the interaction that makes the brain think it's dark and ready for sleepy time.
It comes in the form of a tablet or a gummy and is considered a supplement.
Block points out, that melatonin supplements are intended to regulate short-term sleep issues like jet lag.
"There's a lot we don't know about long-term or daily melatonin use. It's not recommended to be used that way," Block said.
Increasingly though, parents are giving melatonin to children as a sleep aid.
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association of Pediatrics in November, found 6% of kids ages one to four and 18% of kids ages five to nine are given melatonin by their parents as a sleep aid. The data was gathered from the parents of 993 children ages one through 14.
Block said parents should be wary of giving it to kids.
"It's not intended for daily sleep aid for most neurotypical children," Block said. "We don't want to instill in children that they need to take something to sleep every night. We need to find healthier more natural ways to go to sleep."
Research is also lacking on this.
"What we don't know are some long-term impacts of development and health with melatonin use," Block said.
Block said rather than a quick fix of using supplements, she advises discussing any larger issues affecting their kids' sleep.
"If you feel like your child is having sleep problems because of stress, depression, pervasive thoughts, that's really important to talk to them about that," Block said.
Adding to the concern, melatonin is not highly regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
"We don't always know what is in the bottle is accurately reflected on the label," Block said.
Block said parents can turn to other ways to prep kids to fall asleep, like maintaining a dark, quiet room for sleeping and limiting screen time an hour before bed.
Is melatonin OK for kids to take as a sleep aid?: HealthLink
The sleep supplement melatonin is widely used among adults. A Seattle-area pediatrician weighs in on the effects it could have on children.