Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 31, 2025

Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Connection Between Sleep Disorders and Cognitive Symptoms in Depression
Published on: April 26, 2024
[Melatonin and sleep disorders: Overview of literature and testing in psychiatric practice]
Background:
Sleep disorders are a frequent problem with an important impact on the quality of life. Given its physiological properties, melatonin is often associated with sleep disorders and their treatment. In addition, melatonin has been recognized by the European Medicines Agency (ema) since 2007 for primary insomnia in adults over 55 years of age for a maximum of 13 weeks.
AIM: Analysis of the international literature on the indication statements and effectiveness of melatonin for sleep disorders and their testing against practical use.
METHOD: A narrative literature study in PubMed, Cochrane and Web of Science, supplemented with a retrospective study of prescribing behavior within a university psychiatric hospital.
RESULTS: The current evidence for the use of melatonin for insomnia and circadian arrhythmias is low. We also noted that the effectiveness of melatonin for the recognized indication of primary insomnia was questioned by some guidelines and that the various studies were also heterogeneous in terms of outcome measures, indication statements and formulated advice. In addition, only 19.6% of the requirements in the retrospective study met the official ema indication.
CONCLUSION: This study shows that melatonin is mainly used off-label. Overall, there appears to be limited effectiveness of melatonin, which has an impact on the indication statements.
Related Concept Videos
Management of Insomnia
Understanding Sleep
The circadian rhythm, a nearly 24-hour cycle, is deeply influenced by environmental light cues. Light exposure directly affects the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates...
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview
Sedative-hypnotics are categorized into barbiturates, benzodiazepines (BZDs), and non-benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. These drugs work by suppressing central nervous system activity, and this suppression is dose-dependent. Older sedative medications, like barbiturates, follow a linear curve in...
Insomnia
Multiple factors contribute...
Narcolepsy

