Stop Chasing Sleep: Support Your Body's Natural Melatonin Production Instead
"I take melatonin every night, but I'm still not sleeping well." As a registered dietitian, I hear this all the time.
The truth is that melatonin isn't a sleeping pill—it's a hormone your body naturally produces to signal that it's time for sleep. If your body isn't making enough melatonin or if your circadian rhythm is disrupted, taking a supplement may help in certain situations. However, for many people, the real solution isn't simply taking more melatonin—it's supporting the body's ability to produce it naturally.
Sleep is influenced by far more than one hormone. Nutrition, gut health, stress, light exposure, and even your meal timing all affect your body's internal clock.
If you've been struggling with falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up feeling refreshed, here's what you need to know.
What Is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in response to darkness. Think of it as your body's "nighttime messenger."
It doesn't force you to sleep. Instead, it tells your brain that bedtime has arrived.
Morning sunlight suppresses melatonin and helps you wake up. As evening approaches and light fades, melatonin naturally rises, preparing your body for sleep.
Unfortunately many modern habits can decrease your body’s natural melatonin production and interfere with this natural rhythm.
Scrolling on your phone before bed & working late on a computer exposes you to “awake” light
Irregular sleep schedules; going to bed & waking at different times vs a set sleep schedule
Chronic stress
Poor nutrition; lacking the ingredients to make melatonin, your sleep hormone
How Your Body Makes Melatonin
Melatonin production begins with the amino acid tryptophan, found in protein-rich foods. Not getting enough daily protein in the diet is problematic.
The pathway is:
Tryptophan → 5-HTP → Serotonin → Melatonin
Each step requires adequate nutrition.
Many people think of serotonin only as the "feel-good neurotransmitter," but it also serves as the direct precursor to melatonin.
If serotonin production is impaired, melatonin production may also suffer.
Nutrients That Support Natural Melatonin Production
Protein
Since tryptophan is an amino acid, adequate protein intake is essential.
Good sources include:
Turkey
Chicken
Greek yogurt
Cottage cheese
Eggs
Milk
Fish
Tofu
Beans
Lentils
Rather than eating most of your protein at dinner, aim to distribute it throughout the day.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is required to convert 5-HTP into serotonin.
Without adequate B6, serotonin production may decline.
Foods rich in B6 include:
Chicken
Tuna
Potatoes
Chickpeas
Bananas
Fortified cereals
B-Vitamin status can be impacted by impaired methylation, stress, and your gut microbiome.
Magnesium
Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions throughout the body.
While it isn't a direct ingredient in melatonin, it supports:
Muscle relaxation
Nervous system regulation
Healthy stress responses
Normal sleep quality
Food sources include:
Pumpkin seeds
Spinach
Almonds
Cashews
Black beans
Many adults don't consume enough magnesium and today’s farming practices have created less magnesium in the soil. Supplementation of magnesium is often a good idea.
Iron
Iron is one of the most overlooked nutrients when discussing sleep.
Iron is needed for the enzyme that converts tryptophan into 5-HTP. This is the first step to getting serotonin to melatonin for sleep.
Low iron stores have also been associated with restless legs syndrome, a common cause of poor sleep. Rather than relying just on hemoglobin and hematocrit values, check your ferritin levels. Ideally ferritin would be around 70ng/ml.
Folate & Vitamin B12
These vitamins support methylation, which is involved in the final step of melatonin synthesis and helps maintain healthy circadian rhythms.
Your Gut Makes Most of Your Serotonin
One of the biggest surprises for patients is learning that approximately 90% of the body's serotonin is produced in the gastrointestinal tract.
Although gut-derived serotonin does not cross the blood-brain barrier to become brain serotonin, the gut and brain communicate constantly through the gut-brain axis. A healthy gut microbiome supports overall health and may influence sleep quality through immune, metabolic, and nervous system pathways.
To support gut health:
Eat 25–35 grams of fiber daily
Include colorful fruits and vegetables
Eat fermented foods if tolerated
Stay hydrated
Manage digestive conditions with the guidance of a healthcare professional
Morning Sunlight Is Nature's Best Sleep Supplement
One of the most effective—and free—ways to improve sleep is to get outside shortly after waking.
Morning sunlight helps:
Reset your circadian rhythm
Increase daytime alertness
Improve nighttime melatonin production
Enhance sleep quality
If you can, aim for 10–20 minutes outdoors each morning, ideally right upon waking.
Cloudy days still count.
You cannot release melatonin unless you bank it up during the day. Once you have a good morning routine down, aim to chop veggies on your deck, take a work call on a walk, have a picnic for lunch. More outdoor time = better sleep.
Protect Your Melatonin at Night
While getting melatonin banked during the day is important, it is of no use if it cannot be released at night. Darkness aids in release of melatonin for sleep. Blue light from phones, televisions, tablets, and laptops suppresses melatonin production.
To help your body prepare for sleep:
Dim lights after sunset.
Turn off screens 1–2 hours before bed when possible.
Use warm-colored lighting in the evening.
Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet.
Utilize amber colored blue light blocking glasses at night as needed, put your devices on night lighting, cover up light sources from things like alarm clocks. If you must have a TV on at night, set in on a timer to turn off after a period of time.
Stress and Cortisol: The Missing Piece
If you can check the box on all of the above and are still struggling with sleep, it may be stress. Many people assume they have a melatonin problem when they actually have a cortisol problem.
If you feel:
Tired but wired
Unable to shut your brain off
Wide awake at 10 p.m.
Awake between 2–4 a.m.
High evening cortisol may be contributing.
Stress management strategies such as exercise, mindfulness, breathing exercises, and consistent sleep routines can be just as important as any supplement.
Supplements That May Help
Supplements work best when chosen based on why you're not sleeping.
Magnesium Glycinate
Ideal for:
Muscle tension
Stress
Difficulty relaxing
Typical starting dose:
200-300 mg
L-Theanine
Helps promote relaxation without causing excessive drowsiness.
Typical dose:
100 mg
Glycine
Research suggests glycine may improve sleep quality and help reduce the time it takes to fall asleep.
Typical dose:
1-2 grams before bed
Phosphatidylserine
One of my favorite "under-the-radar" supplements.
Rather than acting like a sedative, phosphatidylserine supports healthy neuronal membranes and may help moderate an exaggerated cortisol response in people experiencing chronic stress.
It may be especially helpful if you:
Can't quiet your mind at bedtime.
Wake during the night because of racing thoughts.
Feel mentally exhausted but physically tired.
Typical dose:
100–200 mg
If you're looking for an all-in-one nighttime supplement, AG1 Nightly Sleep Support combines several ingredients commonly used to promote relaxation and healthy sleep.
Depending on the current formulation, it includes ingredients such as magnesium, B6, L-theanine, glycine, and botanicals that have individually been studied for their potential to support relaxation and sleep quality.
For someone who prefers a single product rather than buying multiple supplements separately, it may be a convenient option.
Like any supplement, it should complement—not replace—the foundations of good sleep, including nutrition, light exposure, stress management, and healthy sleep habits.
My Sleep Foundation Checklist
✅ Am I eating enough protein?
✅ Am I getting enough magnesium?
✅ Have I had my iron checked if I'm fatigued or have restless legs?
✅ Am I getting morning sunlight?
✅ Am I reducing screens before bed?
✅ Is stress keeping my cortisol elevated?
✅ Is my gut healthy?
If after addressing these factors , consider adding targeted supplements.
Good sleep doesn't come from one magic ingredient. It comes from giving your body the tools it needs to regulate its own internal clock.
By nourishing your body with adequate protein and key nutrients, supporting gut health, prioritizing morning sunlight, reducing evening light exposure, managing stress, and using well-chosen supplements when appropriate, you can help your body produce melatonin naturally and improve the quality of your sleep over time.
As a registered dietitian, I've found that the most sustainable improvements often come from addressing these root causes. Supplements can be valuable tools, but they work best when they're part of a comprehensive approach to healthy sleep.
~ Sarah Volling, MS, RDN, LDN, CDCES