Studies showed that melatonin helps in the treatment of bone pathologies such as osteoporosis and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). It aslo may prevent bone degradation and promote bone formation.
It assists maintain a healthy microbiome. Our gut bacteria are regulated by our circadian clock and are sensitive to melatonin, which is secreted into the gastrointestinal lumen, expresses circadian patterns of swarming and motility. Studies suggest the human circadian system may regulate its microbiome through the entrainment of bacterial clocks.
Blood sugar, metabolic health and cravings are also regulated by Melatonin. Studies showed that Melatonin regulates insulin secretion and protects against reactive oxygen species which are a threat to pancreatic β-cells (the cells that do the job of storing and releasing insulin).
β-cells are very susceptible to oxidative stress because they possess only low-antioxidative capacity.
Low melatonin levels will cause high insulin levels and high dopamine levels which causes stress (cortisol) along with an increase in cravings, addictions and metabolic disorders.Artifical blue light destroys melatonin, not only does it lower melatonin, but when we are watching our computers or TV at night, or checking our emails at or before sunrise, our dirunal clock becomes confused and all the hormones become disturbed (think of our hormal system like a web, all connected). As we learnt before, it is not only our eyes!
The skin receptors also get stimulated by artifical blue light. Surface photo-chemistry influences the tissues underneath. These spectrums can penetrate all the way to the fat tissue layer and cause free radicals, energy problems, and more.
Your thyroid only sits about half a cm under you skin. So the blue light is penetrating to the thyroid. People with hashimotos beware. Perhaps the most important remedy for low thyroid is nasya + watch the sunrise + get sunshine on your neck and protect your neck from fake blue light.
Ways to Optimise Melatonin:
Get Sunshine - Watch the sunrise and the sunset without sunglasses, glasses or contact lenses (as these alter a holistic light spectrum by blocking specific frequencies).
Sunbathe with as much bare skin as possible. Soak up the sun in moderation. Slowly build your skin tolerance to the sun.
Although you can get melatonin from foods and man-made pills, sunlight is the most dominant synchroniser of melatonin production. Get more sun.
References
- T.S Wiley. Lights Out, Sleep, Sugar and Survival. Atria Books, New York. 2000
- https://nutritionfacts.org/2014/04/03/foods-with-natural-melatonin/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4352910/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3001215/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3742260/https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12640-012-9337-4