Editing Insomnia (section)

==== Melatonin agonists ====
[[Melatonin receptor agonist]]s such as [[melatonin (medication)|melatonin]] and [[ramelteon]] are used in the treatment of insomnia. The evidence for melatonin in treating insomnia is generally poor.<ref name=Bra2015/> There is low-quality evidence that it may speed the onset of sleep by 6{{nbsp}}minutes.<ref name=Bra2015/> Ramelteon does not appear to speed the onset of sleep or the amount of sleep a person gets.<ref name="Bra2015">{{cite book | vauthors = Brasure M, MacDonald R, Fuchs E, Olson CM, Carlyle M, Diem S, Koffel E, Khawaja IS, Ouellette J, Butler M, Kane RL, Wilt TJ | chapter = Management of Insomnia Disorder | title = AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Reviews | location = Rockville (MD) | publisher = Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US) | date = December 2015 | pmid = 26844312 }}</ref>

The usage of melatonin as a treatment for insomnia in adults has increased from 0.4% between 1999 and 2000 to nearly 2.1% between 2017 and 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-28 |title=Use of melatonin supplements rising among adults |url=https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/use-melatonin-supplements-rising-among-adults |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=National Institutes of Health (NIH) |language=EN |archive-date=2022-06-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629045236/https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/use-melatonin-supplements-rising-among-adults |url-status=live }}</ref>

While the use of melatonin in the short-term has been proven to be generally safe and is shown not to be a dependent medication, side effects can still occur.<ref name="Pros and cons of melatonin">{{Cite web |title=Pros and cons of melatonin |url=https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/melatonin-side-effects/faq-20057874 |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=Mayo Clinic |language=en}}</ref>

Most common side effects of melatonin include:<ref name="Pros and cons of melatonin"/>

* Headache 
* Dizziness
* Nausea
* Daytime drowsiness

[[Prolonged-release melatonin]] may improve the quality of sleep in older people with minimal side effects.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lyseng-Williamson KA | s2cid = 1403262 | title = Melatonin prolonged release: in the treatment of insomnia in patients aged ≥55 years | journal = Drugs & Aging | volume = 29 | issue = 11 | pages = 911–23 | date = November 2012 | pmid = 23044640 | doi = 10.1007/s40266-012-0018-z }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lemoine P, Zisapel N | s2cid = 23291045 | title = Prolonged-release formulation of melatonin (Circadin) for the treatment of insomnia | journal = Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy | volume = 13 | issue = 6 | pages = 895–905 | date = April 2012 | pmid = 22429105 | doi = 10.1517/14656566.2012.667076 }}</ref>

Studies have also shown that children who have an [[autism spectrum disorder]] or a learning disability, such as [[attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder]] (ADHD) or related [[neurological]] diseases, can benefit from the use of melatonin. This is because they often have trouble sleeping due to their disorders. For example, children with ADHD tend to have trouble falling asleep because of their [[hyperactivity]] and, as a result, tend to be tired during most of the day. Another cause of insomnia in children with ADHD is the use of stimulants to treat their disorder. Children who have ADHD then, as well as the other disorders mentioned, may be given melatonin before bedtime to help them sleep.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Sánchez-Barceló EJ, Mediavilla MD, Reiter RJ | title = Clinical uses of melatonin in pediatrics | journal = International Journal of Pediatrics | volume = 2011 | pages = 892624 | year = 2011 | pmid = 21760817 | pmc = 3133850 | doi = 10.1155/2011/892624 | doi-access = free }}</ref>