Melatonin is the go-to fix for people struggling to fall asleep. It is cheap, easy to buy, and feels like a natural option. But a new study has raised an eyebrow, and a red flag. People who took melatonin every night for a year or more were more likely to end up with heart problems later.
However, the study doesn't say melatonin causes heart disease. It says the people who need melatonin long-term may already be dealing with something deeper. The supplement might be a clue, not the culprit.
The Study's Findings
Olly / Pexels / Researchers followed more than 130,000 adults with insomnia. Some took melatonin regularly for over a year.
Compared to those who didn’t, long-term users had a nearly 90% higher risk of being diagnosed with new heart failure within five years.
That is not all. These users were also over three times more likely to end up in the hospital for heart failure. And the risk of dying from any cause was nearly doubled.
Still, the research doesn't prove melatonin is the cause. It may just highlight people with poor sleep, high stress, or hidden heart issues. As one researcher said, insomnia can boost blood pressure and stress hormones, which are both bad news for your heart. So melatonin might just be a flag that something deeper is going on.
A Signal, Not a Smoking Gun
This study doesn’t mean melatonin is harmful for everyone. What it shows is that long-term use might be a signal that your body isn’t doing well. Poor sleep often goes hand-in-hand with high stress, inflammation, and other health problems.
Doctors say it is possible that the people using melatonin nightly were already in worse shape. Maybe they were anxious, had untreated sleep disorders, or early heart disease. Taking melatonin may have been their way of coping, not the root of the problem.
That is why the real takeaway isn’t “Stop taking melatonin.” It is “Ask why you need it in the first place.” If your body can’t sleep on its own, it might be time to figure out what is going on under the surface.
However, this study hasn’t been peer-reviewed yet. It was presented at a conference, and that means the results are still early. Experts want to see it go through more review before drawing final conclusions.
Olly / Pexels / The data had some blind spots. It only tracked people who got melatonin through a prescription. However, in the U.S., most people purchase it over the counter.
That means a lot of melatonin users probably ended up in the “non-user” group, which could throw off the results.
The study also didn’t track how much melatonin people were taking or why. It didn’t include info on mental health, other meds, or how severe their insomnia was. All of those things could affect heart risk, too.
What Should You Do?
If you have been popping melatonin every night for a year or more, it is time to check in with your doctor. Not because the supplement itself is dangerous, but because your body might be trying to tell you something.
A sleep doctor can help you find the root cause. In many cases, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) works better than any pill. It teaches your brain and body how to sleep again, and the results last.
Plus, you should also look at your sleep habits. Keep your room cool and dark. Put away the phone before bed. Avoid big meals or drinks late at night. These small things add up, and they matter more than you think.