The importance of sleep to health cannot be overstated. Unfortunately, many people really struggle to get the quality of sleep that they need. Without sleep, we struggle through the day with low energy and reduced brain power while often feeling depressed and irritable. Our health is also at risk as sleep is critical to body repair, optimal immune function and detoxification, and, of course, recharging our energy levels.
Melatonin is the most popular and well-researched natural sleep aid. It works to help people get to sleep and stay asleep through the night in order to feel well-rested7,8. But there is a secret to making it work better—combining nighttime melatonin use with methylcobalamin, the active form of vitamin B12. A protocol of taking 3 to 5 mg of methylcobalamin upon waking may help reset our biological clock and help melatonin work better in promoting a good night’s sleep, especially in people over 40 and in shift workers.
Methylcobalamin (vitamin B12) is useful in what is referred to as sleep-wake disorder. This disorder is characterized by excessive drowsiness when awake, and restless sleep with frequent awakenings. Sleep-wake disorder is very common in shift workers and the elderly. In people with sleep-wake disorders, taking methylcobalamin has often led to improved sleep quality, increased daytime alertness and concentration, and improved mood.9,10 The boost that people feel with methylcobalamin may be the result of methylcobalamin reducing the secretion of melatonin during the day and thereby helping to reset the body’s own melatonin secretion before bedtime. Taking melatonin at night further helps this process. A dose of 3 to 5 mg at bedtime is more than enough for adults. Children 6 years of age and above should take a dosage range of 1 to 3 mg.