Low-Dose Melatonin, Climacteric Symptoms and Sleep in Female Shift Workers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Endocrinology
• Sleep Medicine
• Chronobiology

Background:

• Menopausal transition (climacteric) is associated with sleep disturbances and mood changes, often linked to hormonal shifts.
• Exogenous melatonin shows potential for improving quality of life in climacteric women.
• Shift work can disrupt circadian rhythms, potentially exacerbating menopausal symptoms and sleep issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of exogenous melatonin in alleviating climacteric symptoms.
• To assess the impact of melatonin on sleep quality in women working fixed shifts.
• To investigate melatonin's effects on reproductive hormone levels (LH, FSH, estradiol, progesterone) in this population.

Main Methods:

• A randomized clinical trial involving 46 female hospital nurses working fixed morning, afternoon, or night shifts.
• Participants received either 0.3 mg of melatonin or a placebo, administered on days off.
• Data collected included sociodemographic information, self-reported menopausal symptoms, sleep quality, and blood samples for hormone analysis.

Main Results:

• Melatonin significantly reduced climacteric symptoms by 15.8% compared to placebo (p=0.01), irrespective of age or sleep duration.
• Sleep quality improved by 35.33% on days off in the melatonin group (p<0.001), with morning shift workers showing a 32.46% improvement (p<0.05).
• No significant changes were observed in luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, progesterone levels, or total sleep duration.

Conclusions:

• Exogenous melatonin is effective in alleviating climacteric symptoms and enhancing sleep quality on days off.
• The benefits were particularly noted in day-shift workers, suggesting a role in managing circadian disruption.
• Melatonin supplementation did not alter reproductive hormone concentrations or total sleep duration in this study cohort.