Melatonin and insomnia

Insomnia is defined as difficulty falling asleep or difficulty in staying asleep. Generally, people with insomnia sleep less or inadequate, even though they have plenty of time available. Poor sleep leads to poor functioning during the day. Insomnia is defined by the number of hours we were asleep because it may vary significantly from one person to another. In many cases, insomnia is associated with problems such as stress, for example, or medical conditions such as pain. 

It is a serious medical condition. Insomnia additionally varies in however long it lasts and the way it typically happens. It may be short insomnia (acute) or it can last a protracted time (chronic insomnia). Acute sleep disorder will last from one night to a couple of weeks of sleep disorder. People with chronic insomnia have sleep disorder a minimum of three nights every week for a period of month or longer.

There are two types of insomnia: primary insomnia and secondary insomnia. Primary insomnia implies that someone has sleep issues that aren't directly related to the other health condition or drawback. Secondary insomnia implies that someone has sleep issues thanks to one thing else, like a health condition (such as bronchial asthma, depression, arthritis, cancer or heartburn), pain; medications they're taking, or a substance they're mistreating (like alcohol).

Melatonin is a hormone of the pineal gland, which is located in the center of the brain. The pineal gland produces melatonin from serotonin only during the night and this process stops during the day. Its most important role is to maintain the cycle of sleep and wakefulness - the daily rhythm of a healthy body.

The hormone melatonin improves sleep quality necessary for optimal functioning of the body and helps with the regulation of day-night rhythms. It is a powerful antioxidant that protects against the harmful effects of free radicals and supports the activities of glutathione in neuronal tissues. It is believed that melatonin prevents heart attack caused by stress and provides protection from the effects of aging of the organism. It is important in the treatment of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, which are caused by the free radicals.

For example, athletes are known for using some amount of melatonin periodically. The main purpose for which athletes use melatonin is its ability to induce the formation of a deep sleep. The athletes often have trouble sleeping and suffer from insomnia, especially after a heavy workout when central nervous system is agitated. 

Experienced professionals want to avoid such situations for all cost and resort to various measures. Athletes, who often travel from one end of the world to another, changing the number of time zones, often suffer from unpleasant disorder that is called the "jet lag". Many competitors, including most professional tennis players, confirmed the great effectiveness of melatonin in the fight against the inconvenience caused by sudden changes in a large number of time zones.