Hi everyone this is Monica Reinagel the nutrition diva here with this week's quick and dirty tips for eating well and feeling fabulous.

Today's episode was suggested by Anne, who writes, Would Melatonin help me sleep through the night?

I never had sleep problems until the past few years. I believe it started with night sweats from pre-manopause, but now it seems to be a regular occurrence.

My teenage son also has trouble falling asleep and has for years.

His pediatrician suggested melatonin and it seems to work.

But I worry that the long-term effects of taking it may disrupt his body's natural tendency

to produce it. Have there been any studies about long-term use of

melatonin supplements? And lots of women find it increasingly difficult to get a good night

sleep as they approach and go through menopause.

If you've always been a champion sleeper, it can be extremely frustrating and distressing

to suddenly lose your ability to sleep through the night.

Although it's not entirely clear how the hormonal changes before and after

menopause contribute to midlife sleep disturbances,

one possible explanation is a decline in natural melatonin production.

Melatonin is a hormone produced in both men and women by the pinio gland,

which is extremely sensitive to light. Darkness triggers melatonin release,

and that makes you drowsy. Bright light, on the other hand, suppresses melatonin production,

which helps you stay alert. And this is why you'll is the bright sunlight is one of the best ways to reset your body clock from the effects of jet lag.

Melatonin production also falls with age and that could be part of the reason that older people tend

not to sleep as well. Although melatonin is a human hormone, it's also

found in some foods, tomatoes, walnuts, flax seeds, tart cherries, almonds, raspberries, and goji berries, all include small amounts of

melatonin. In fact, one study found that taking tart cherry juice before bed slightly enhanced sleep quality of older people with insomnia.

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