Sleep Patches and Melatonin in the UK

Sleep Patches and Melatonin in the UK?

Melatonin is well known for its ability to help promote sleep, and for individuals suffering with sleeping issues. Melatonin is available as an over-the-counter (OTC) supplement in many countries. However, melatonin as a food supplement, was banned in the UK and is currently only available on prescription. However, recently Melatonin sleep patches have become available on the UK market, and because they are regulated as a cosmetic product, the same restrictions do not apply.

This article will explore why, and how melatonin is regulated, how it can improve your sleep quality, and the increasing popularity of sleep patches containing melatonin and other ingredients like HTP5.

What is Melatonin?

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone secreted by the pineal gland, which is found within the brain. This hormone plays an important role in regulating the body’s sleep-wake cycle, which is also known as the circadian rhythm. The brains production of melatonin is influenced by light exposure, and normally goes up during the evening and at night time. The darkness tells our brain that it is time to go to sleep.

One common cause of sleep pattern disruption is mobile phones which emit blue light. This confuses our brain into believing that it is not bedtime, and reduces the amount of melatonin that the brain produces. Hence why our bedtime routine is so significant in getting good quality sleep.

Why is Melatonin banned in the UK

Melatonin which is ingested is available as a prescription-only medication within the UK. It is not permitted to be sold as food supplement due to an intervention by the MHRA. The MHRA took the decision that it should be regulated as a medicine, despite other countries continued sale of these products as food supplements.

The scenario was very similar to what the CBD industry experienced in 2017, when the MHRA contacted CBD brands including Love CBD, stating that they considered CBD oil products to be medicinal, and that we would need marketing authorisation to continue to sell CBD products. The CBD industry collectively was able to pursued the MHRA to allow the industry to continue to sell CBD as a food supplement, on the basis that Vitamin C is sold. Whereby, a daily dose below 70mg would be a food supplement, and above this amount a medicine. Vitamin C is a food supplement in low doses, and a medicine to treat scurvy in higher doses.  

Can you buy Sleep Patches and Melatonin in the UK

Sleep Patches and Melatonin Safety

You are only permitted to obtain ingestible forms of melatonin via a prescription route. However, it has recently become possible to legally buy skin patch products which contain melatonin, and which are sold as cosmetic products.

While Sleep Patches and Melatonin are generally considered safe, after all, we naturally produce the hormone, its potential to affect hormonal balance raised some concerns, especially for long term use or use in children. The MHRA argued that there is not enough evidence for it to be sold as a food supplement, and that a prescription only option means that healthcare professionals will manage the risks and benefits.

How Sleep Patches and Melatonin Promotes Sleep

Sleep-Wake Cycle

Sleep Patches and Melatonin may helps to synchronise our circadian rhythm. It does this by messaging the brain that it is time to sleep. Melatonin lowers our body temperature and reduces alertness which creates an environment for rest, and hopefully a good night sleep.

Sleep Patches and Melatonin are of particular use with certain sleep disorders, including:

• Jet Lag: Helps the body adapt to changing time zones.
• Shift Work: Helps when we work irregular hours or night shifts.
• Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome: For individuals who naturally fall asleep late and wake up late.
• Insomnia in Older Adults: We naturally produce less melatonin as we get older. Products like melatonin patches can be helpful for the over 55’s in particular.
• Menopause: Sleep disruption is a common issue for women going through the menopause, and melatonin patches are worth considering.

Melatonin Patches:

1. What Are Melatonin Sleep Patches?

Melatonin Sleep patches are adhesive patches applied directly onto the skin. They provide a steady and slow release, and often other complementary ingredients like HTP5 through transdermal absorption. As a result, melatonin patches bypass the digestive system.

2. Benefits of Melatonin Patches

• Steady Release: sleep patches deliver a controlled amount of melatonin similar to the body’s own production.
• Bypassing the Digestive System: Prevents the active ingredient from breaking down in the liver, which happens when taken orally.
• Convenience: Sleep patches last up to 24 hours and unlike melatonin consumed orally are low maintenance.

3. Who Benefits from Sleep Patches and Melatonin?

Sleep Patches and Melatonin may help individuals that:

• Struggle to stay asleep.
• Have an overactive mind at bedtime.
• Have stomach issue issues that make oral supplements ineffective.
• Don’t like taking pills
• Don’t want to get melatonin on prescription
• Forget to take medication but want to maintain a consistent dosage routine.

4. Potential Drawbacks

• Skin Irritation: Redness or irritation possible if you suffer from sensitive skin. This applies to all patches, though worth checking if they are hypoallergenic before using.
• Long term use: Melatonin patches are currently regulated as a cosmetic product and it is possible that in the future that the MHRA will also determine that they should be considered an over-the-counter medicine (OTC).
• Cost: Melatonin sleep patches are not available on prescription and will need to be self-funded.

Melatonin for Sleep effective?

Studies on Sleep

Several studies have shown that melatonin can help you fall asleep faster, and improve your overall sleep quality. One study found that melatonin helped participants to fall asleep 7 minutes sooner and increased the length of time that the participants were asleep.

Jet Lag and Shift Work

Research has also shown that melatonin can help with jet lag symptoms by helping to adjust your body clock.

Using Melatonin

Dosage Recommendations

The amount of melatonin an individual needs varies, though a typical dose ranges from 0.5 mg to 5 mg. It is generally best taken 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime when consumed orally. It will need to be applied a few hours before bedtime when consumed in a patch format.

2. Timing and Duration

Melatonin consumed orally should be taken routinely at the same time each evening. Melatonin patches have the obvious advantage that they release melatonin over a 24-hour period (in the case of the Love CBD Sleep Patches) which makes it far easier to use and maintain consistent levels. The Patch will slowly release the melatonin and other active ingredients like HTP5 over a 24 hour timeframe, as opposed to all at once when consumed via a liquid or tablet form.  

3. Melatonin Safety

Melatonin is generally considered safe for short-term use. However, there are potential side effects which if you experience, we would advise ceasing the use of the melatonin patch and potentially seeking medical advice. Some of these side effects include dizziness, headache, nausea, and drowsiness.

Melatonin Alternatives and Sleep Hygiene

1. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a talking treatment and process that can help individuals to change their negative thought patterns, and in this case, sleep behaviour.

2. Sleep Hygiene

Good sleep hygiene may be enough without needing additional sleep support aids. You should try the following first, to see if better sleep hygiene improves your sleep unaided.

• Keep a consistent sleep routine.
• Create a comfortable and dark sleep environment.
• Reduce your exposure to screens before bedtime. This is very important and something that many of us fail to do and is one of the main reasons that we get less and lower quality sleep. Mobile phones and other screens produce a blue light which confuses the brain into believing that it is not time to sleep.
• Avoid caffeine and heavy meals in the evening. Our Love CBD Tea is an ideal bedtime drink, caffeine free and containing chamomile which is known to promote good quality sleep.
• Try to relax before bedtime. Meditation and mindfulness can be effective tool in helping you to unwind and forget about your day-to-day issues and thoughts.

3. Food Supplements

Other natural remedies commonly used to help promote better sleep include, valerian root, magnesium, chamomile, lavender and cannabidiol (CBD).

Conclusion

Melatonin is naturally produced by your brain, and provided that everything within your body is working in harmony, there is no real reason to use melatonin, after all your body is amazing. However, this is far from the reality for many people whose modern lives are disrupted by work, changing routines, travelling to different time zones, stress, poor sleep hygiene, often due to excess screen time etc. As a result, both our quality of sleep and the amount of sleep we get is often severely impacted and compromised.

Poor quality sleep can affect the body in a number of ways. This includes suppressing your immune system, impacting your mental health, altering your body’s physiological functions in a number of ways and increasing your risk of chronic diseases.

While Melatonin is not recommended for long term use, it might be a way to get you back on track during unsettled or disturbed periods of sleep. In the UK, Melatonin taken orally is available on prescription only and will require a visit to your GP and a prescription. However, sleep patches are sold and regulated as a cosmetic product and as result can be ordered more easily.

Melatonin and Sleep patches have the added benefit of being able to slowly release the hormone into your blood stream. This is done in a manner which is far more similar to how your body produces and releases melatonin, than if taken in a capsule or gummy form.

Whilst sleep patches containing Melatonin are currently available to buy online, Love CBD has a product of this nature, it maybe that the UK government decides that sleep patches containing melatonin should also only be available via a medical professional and prescription only route.

However, there is a strong argument to say that a melatonin consumed in a patch format is a far safer route than orally, as the dosage instruction for a patch are far easier to interpret and unlike capsules, which could allow for a large dose of melatonin. A patch option feels like a far safer and a much less likely to overdose method when introducing melatonin into your body. Time will tell if the regulator decides to take this kind of decision, which is generally as a result of both safety concerns and popularity of a new product.

I hope that you enjoyed our sleep patches and melatonin article, if you would like to know more about CBD patches, please click this link. 

Article first published https://www.lovecbd.org/sleep-patches-and-melatonin-in-the-uk/