Shift Work

Explainer

Melatonin for Shift Work: Daytime Sleep, Light Control, and What the Guidance Says

Night-shift workers who use melatonin describe taking one serving shortly before a daytime sleep period, in a room made as dark as a bedroom at midnight, and every source that discusses the practice says the same thing about priorities: light control is the stronger lever, and melatonin is the supporting one. This page lays out what the guidance describes, why daytime sleep is a harder problem than jet lag, the light routine that does most of the work, which formats suit an 8 a.m. bedtime, and why a doctor's judgment matters more here than almost anywhere, given the alertness the job demands. No medical advice.

Read the guide →~9 min read