melatonin
noun
mel·a·to·nin
ˌme-lə-ˈtō-nən 
: a vertebrate hormone that is derived from serotonin, is secreted by the pineal gland especially in response to darkness, and has been linked to the regulation of circadian rhythms
Examples of melatonin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That means timing—and lighting—are key to melatonin’s success.
—
Carly Weeks, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024
How to fall asleep faster and get better sleep with your bedtime routine
Light Management:
Dim or turn off lights 30 minutes before bed to signal your body to wind down and prepare for sleep, especially bright lights and blue light from screens which can disrupt melatonin production.
—Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2024
But Lehman countered that the conversation involving Xanax was from a different time period and that the parents actually discussed giving him melatonin.
—Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 8 Mar. 2024
Documents said police detained Harris on Jan. 5 and brought her to the department headquarters, where Harris admitted to bottle feeding her infant daughter Nyquil and melatonin before propping her in an upward position on the mattress and then placing her 17-month-old daughter in a playpen.
—The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024
But tart cherries and tart cherry juice contain far less melatonin than your typical over-the-counter sleep aids.
—Maggie O'Neill, Health, 20 Jan. 2024
Blue light at night can suppress melatonin secretion and shift circadian rhythms much more so than white light.
—Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 4 Jan. 2024
One study found that those who ate diets low in omega-3s showed weaker secretions of melatonin, which resulted in disturbed sleep patterns.
—Georgia Day, Glamour, 12 Mar. 2024
The study's authors noted that the spike in usage is concerning because bottles of melatonin may have far higher amounts of the drug than what the label indicates.
—Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024
Carly Weeks, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024
How to fall asleep faster and get better sleep with your bedtime routine
Light Management:
Dim or turn off lights 30 minutes before bed to signal your body to wind down and prepare for sleep, especially bright lights and blue light from screens which can disrupt melatonin production.
—Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2024
But Lehman countered that the conversation involving Xanax was from a different time period and that the parents actually discussed giving him melatonin.
—Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 8 Mar. 2024
Documents said police detained Harris on Jan. 5 and brought her to the department headquarters, where Harris admitted to bottle feeding her infant daughter Nyquil and melatonin before propping her in an upward position on the mattress and then placing her 17-month-old daughter in a playpen.
—The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024
But tart cherries and tart cherry juice contain far less melatonin than your typical over-the-counter sleep aids.
—Maggie O'Neill, Health, 20 Jan. 2024
Blue light at night can suppress melatonin secretion and shift circadian rhythms much more so than white light.
—Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 4 Jan. 2024
One study found that those who ate diets low in omega-3s showed weaker secretions of melatonin, which resulted in disturbed sleep patterns.
—Georgia Day, Glamour, 12 Mar. 2024
The study's authors noted that the spike in usage is concerning because bottles of melatonin may have far higher amounts of the drug than what the label indicates.
—Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'melatonin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near melatonin
Cite this Entry
“Melatonin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/melatonin. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
melatonin
noun
mel·a·to·nin
ˌmel-ə-ˈtō-nən
: a hormone that is secreted by the pineal gland especially in response to darkness and has been linked to the regulation of bodily functions or activities (as sleep) that occur in approximately 24 hour cycles
Medical Definition
melatonin
noun
mel·a·to·nin
ˌmel-ə-ˈtō-nən
: a vertebrate hormone C13H16N2O2 that is derived from serotonin, is secreted by the pineal gland especially in response to darkness, and has been linked to the regulation of circadian rhythms
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