What is Melatonin, and Why You Need It?

LJ opened his eyes. The bright light of the clock showed it was 3:13 a.m. “This is the fourth time I’ve wakened at the same time this week. What a miserable habit,” he groaned silently. He glanced over at Annie; she was asleep. He quietly got up and went to his office. “I’ll read for a while; that always makes me sleepy.” After opening his tablet to the book section, he tapped on a murder mystery and began reading where he left off. The who-done-it was beautifully written, and soon he was engrossed in the story. Suddenly he felt Annie’s arms gently circle his shoulders. She leaned over him and switched the tablet’s lighting to dark mode.

“Sweetheart, that bright blue light is for daytime reading. Artificial lights, especially those emitted from the TV, computers, phones, and tablets, impact melatonin production and can cause your body to stop producing it.”

“What’s melatonin?’

Annie settled on the sofa next to him, “melatonin is a hormone made primarily by the brain’s pineal gland that produces more when the sun goes down and less when the sun comes up. It’s key to sleep. How about if I make you a Cherry Turmeric Bedtime Tea? The ingredients are natural sources of melatonin.”

“Sounds good.” LJ closed his tablet and followed her to the kitchen.