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Melatonin calls you to turn off the lights and go to bed
"Sunrise and sunset" is the health wisdom of the ancients, and this routine is inseparable from the "technical support" of melatonin.
At the beginning of the 20th century, scientists discovered a hormone that could fade frog skin, hence the name melatonin. Later, after years of research, scientists found that when the secretion of melatonin reaches a certain concentration, people will begin to feel sleepy.
In this issue, "Life Times" will take you to see how melatonin "helps sleep".
Audit Specialists
Yin Guoping, deputy chief physician of the Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Sleep Medicine Center of Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital
The author and editor of this article丨Xu Wenting
Drawing丨Ma Hongliang
Electrical signals are transmitted to the pineal gland
During the day, when the eye perceives bright light, it converts it into electrical signals, part of which is transmitted to the pineal gland, the "third eye of man," located in the rear.
The pineal gland is in day-shift mode
Melatonin secreted by the pineal gland presents a distinct circadian rhythm, which seems to be able to perceive and reflect circadian time changes.
When the pineal gland feels the stimulation of light, it will turn on the "white shift" mode, which significantly reduces the secretion of melatonin.
Melatonin is secreted in large quantities
When the sun sets and the light dims, the pineal gland rotates into a "night shift", summoning a large amount of melatonin. Melatonin is generally secreted in large quantities at 9:00~10:00 in the evening, and reaches its peak at two or three o'clock in the morning.
Melatonin releases sleepiness signals
Melatonin has a strong signaling ability, as if the "watchman" with a master key in his hand can easily pass through most cell membranes to inform various tissues and organs that "it is late".
Melatonin travels to the hypothalamus with the bloodstream and awakens a group of helpers to calm the nerves.
Melatonin patrols the brainstem
When patrolling the brain stem, the "watchman" will guide him to slow down his heartbeat rate, slow down the rhythm of breathing, etc., in preparation for falling asleep.
The hypothalamus regulates the body temperature during sleep
The hypothalamus also manipulates the thermoregulatory center to reduce the body's thermogenesis, so that the body temperature is lowered and it is easier to fall asleep.
The human body feels sleepy
The hypothalamus also manipulates the thermoregulatory center to reduce the body's thermogenesis, so that the body temperature is lowered and it is easier to fall asleep.
-Finish-
Many insomniacs want to take melatonin to promote sleep, but its role is really limited to "messengers".
The occurrence of sleep is regulated by a variety of factors, and if the brain, nervous system, etc. itself is dysfunctional, no amount of melatonin will help. Because other systems receive the signal, but do not effectively execute the instructions, and cannot achieve the desired effect, the use of melatonin in large quantities can even cause liver damage and other harms.
Therefore, melatonin should not be used as a "sleeping pill" and is more suitable for short-term use by people who need to work shifts and jet lag. If you have insomnia, early awakening and other sleep disorders for a long time, it is recommended to seek medical help in time. ▲
Editor of this issue: Zhao Ziying
Copyright Notice: This article is the original of "Life Times" and is not reproduced without authorization.