How to Increase Low Melatonin Levels

Do you have difficulties falling or even staying asleep ? Maybe both ? 

Low melatonin levels can play a major part in these issues. To learn if you truly have low melatonin you can do that through a functional lab test. I sometimes will run a sleep profile test $178 which gives you both markers around melatonin and cortisol but personally I prefer the DUTCH complete which is a little more pricey but gives you markers for all your major sex hormones – progesterone, estrogen, testosterone and DHEA. you also get how these hormones get metabolised as well as melatonin, cortisol, phase 2 liver detoxification and so much more. 

If you’re interested in a DUTCH test or any functional labs then please let us know fitnesscamp@hotmail.com 

Anyway, let’s get back to melatonin… Taking oral melatonin (which can only be prescribed by your doctor in NZ) can help raise low levels of melatonin up, which can be useful for a short term ‘’fix’’ BUT it’s not getting to the real issue. It’s the plaster on the symptom, not the root cause of the problem. The goal is to get your body naturally producing adequate amounts of melatonin. 

But, what actually is melatonin 

Melatonin is a hormone made in the gastrointestinal tract and pineal gland. Interestingly the majority of your melatonin is made in the gastrointestinal tract (your gut)… it’s 400x more than the pineal gland. 

This is just one of many reasons it’s so important to have a happy, healthy gut. 

Melatonin is produced in association to the rhythm of light/dark patterns. During the light of the day it should be low and as it begins to get dark melatonin should naturally begin to rise.

Not only does melatonin help us sleep but it also has immune system enhancement qualities, is a free radical scavenger,  protects us against nasty gut irritants and helps in the healing of lesions in the gastrointestinal lining. Low levels of melatonin have also been linked to depression, obesity, neurological diseases, menstrual irregularities, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer

The BIG causes of LOW melatonin 

 There are many, many reasons for low melatonin but below i have listed some of the more common ones 

  1. Blue light exposure before bed 
  2. High cortisol at night (night time stress)
  3. Pathogens in the gut 
  4. Sleep deprivation 
  5. Lack of sunlight through the day 
  6. Brain trauma 
  7. Low levels of HCL 
  8. Calcification of the pineal gland (anyone say fluoride) 
  9. Toxicity 
  10. Excess caffeine and alcohol use 
  11. Jet lag 
  12. Disease such as cancer, alzheimer’s, dementia and schizophrenia 

So, what are some natural ways to increase melatonin 

1 – Blue light blocking glasses 

Any blue light exposure before bed will suppress melatonin production. So, any laptop, ipad, netflix or light bulb time will have a negative effect. 

Click the link below to buy blue light blockers here in NZ 

https://www.blockbluelight.co.nz/collections/blue-blocking-glasses-night-time 

I also suggest candles and lighting a fire if you have one. These kind of lights don’t negatively impact your melatonin rhythm

2 – Get out into the sunshine everyday 

Getting sunshine daily will help with the regulation of your circadian rhythm. Try to get at least 30 minutes outside. My suggestion is a 30 minute walk at lunch time. Movement, sunshine and vitamin D. 

Pro tip – As soon as you wake up, get outside into the light.

3 – Learn to manage your stress 

Stress raises cortisol (your stress/energy hormone) and cortisol suppresses the rise of melatonin. This is why it’s super important to have a chill night time routine. My suggestion is that one hour before bed you turn the TV off. Consider an epsom salt bath, try some meditation or just relax with a good fictional book. 

If you’re someone once under the covers just starts to THINK about all the things of the day or all the things you have to do, then I suggest a ‘brain dump’ write out everything and let go of all your ‘to-do’s’

4 – Reduce your toxins 

Toxic burden is a real thing and for many just a little of this and a little of that all adds up. I suggest filtering your water. Fluoride will calcify your pineal gland. To get fluoride out of your water you can use a Big Berkey filter and opt for the fluoride filter add ons

Choosing organic non toxic alternatives will also help 

5 – Eat foods rich in tryptophan 

Tryptophan is an amino acid that is needed to make melatonin. It’s found in chicken, pork, beef, eggs, salmon, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds and flax seeds. Turkey has high levels of tryptophan hence why we all need a snooze after christmas lunch. 

Sometimes it’s not as simple as simply just eating these foods. Many of us have poor nutrient absorption due to leaky gut or intestinal permeability. In these cases digestive enzymes or a nutritional protocol such as GAPS will help. 

6 – Work with a Functional Nutrition Practitioner

For those that don’t know, when I’m not getting people to do Turkish get ups, kettlebell swings and deadlifts I spend my time doing Functional Testing, essentially identifying root causes through diagnostic testing and correlation. I then analyse and create potent, proven and professional protocols. In my teens I studied nutrition and then in 2013 Krystie and I qualified in the Functional Medicine space. I absolutely love it but I also love training people. I never really wanted to pick one over the other, so I do both. 

One of the major things I have realised is that many people suffer from poor guts. Whether it’s leaky gut or gut infections. If you’re not breaking down food, you’re not optimising your nutrients. Plus parasites and pathogens love to come out and play at night time. Yes, if you’re wondering why you keep waking up at 3am it might well be party time in your gut.