What is melatonin?
Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a hormone made by a pea-sized gland just above the middle part of the brain called the pineal gland. It regulates our central “clock,” which controls our sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin is available as an over the counter sleep aid that can be taken to alleviate difficulty falling or staying asleep.