Melatonin and Alcohol: Effects, Safety Concerns, and Precautions

What Is Melatonin?

Around 25 million US adults have insomnia symptoms.[1] Because sleep aids can be dangerous, many people choose to treat insomnia with natural supplements like melatonin. Melatonin is generally safe and widely used to help with sleep patterns. It is available over the counter at pharmacies and grocers.

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that the body produces to regulate the circadian rhythm, your natural sleep cycle. It’s crucial to keep your sleep consistent and promote healthy sleep. Most of your body’s melatonin is produced between 11 pm and 3 am at night.

Melatonin taken at the appropriate low doses has minimal short-term side effects, but melatonin supplements aren’t standardized or well-regulated. It’s difficult to determine the potency of melatonin purchased over the counter or what other ingredients may be in it.

Melatonin has some possible drug interactions, including birth control pills, diabetes medications, immunosuppressants, and blood-thinning medications. Though usually mild, the side effects of melatonin may include:[2]

• Unregulated sleep cycle
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Migraines
• Daytime drowsiness
• Depression

Can You Drink Alcohol with Melatonin?

Melatonin is one of many sleep aids people may use to help with sleep. Some people have a drink or two to get tired before bed. Drinking alcohol while you’re taking melatonin can have serious consequences.

First, alcohol may help you fall asleep, but it doesn’t promote restful sleep. It reduces the amount of natural melatonin your body creates, causing more issues with your sleep cycle and poor sleep quality. It can also affect the muscles in your airway, which disrupts your breathing and may wake you.

Mixing alcohol and melatonin can cause the following side effects:[3]

• Extreme drowsiness
• Poor focus
• Dizziness
• Intense and frightening dreams
• Anxiety

Several factors can affect how alcohol use affects someone, including genetics, age, health, body weight, and gender. You may not be able to determine how alcohol will affect you in general, especially on melatonin, so you should avoid mixing the two.

Aside from the increased risks of mixing alcohol and melatonin, it’s counterproductive if you’re taking the supplement to improve your sleep. Alcohol counteracts the effects of the supplement, creating worse sleep problems.

Factors That Affect Melatonin and Alcohol Interactions

Melatonin and alcohol always have risks when combined, but some people may be at a higher risk of dangerous interactions.

Blood thinners should be avoided with melatonin and alcohol, especially together. Because alcohol affects your ability to metabolize blood, drinking while on a blood thinner like warfarin can cause serious bleeding.[4] Research shows that melatonin may have a similar effect.[5]

Anxiety medications can also have dangerous interactions with alcohol and melatonin. Drinking alcohol with anxiety medications like Xanax or alprazolam can increase your risk of adverse effects like excessive drowsiness or severely depressed breathing.[6]  Adding melatonin to the mix can depress your vital functions even further.

If you’re on other sleep aids, prescription or otherwise, you should avoid taking melatonin or drinking alcohol. Substances that are available over the counter, such as diphenhydramine or valerian root, can cause severe drowsiness with melatonin and alcohol.

Older adults over the age of 65 are at a greater risk for complications with alcohol and melatonin. Generally, older adults experience more intense effects from alcohol and may experience more dangerous interactions with melatonin.[7]

Women generally have a lower tolerance for alcohol because they have a lower water content in their bodies. As a result, women reach higher blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) than men – even with the same amount of alcohol.[8]  Taking melatonin, even at a lower dose, could react more intensely.

When to Seek Medical Attention

Melatonin’s side effects aren’t usually dangerous on their own. However, rare and life-threatening side effects are possible, especially if you drink alcohol regularly or struggle with alcohol addiction.

Alcohol can have risks on its own, however. Drinking too much alcohol at once can cause alcohol poisoning, otherwise known as an alcohol overdose. The symptoms of alcohol poisoning may include:

• Vomiting
• Slowed heart rate
• Loss of consciousness
• Confusion
• Slow or irregular breathing
• Cold or clammy skin
• Seizures

If you suspect someone is experiencing alcohol poisoning, call 911 immediately. Rapid medical intervention can prevent life-threatening complications.

Does Alcohol Help with Sleep?

Insomnia is a medical condition characterized by a consistent problem falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing restful, restorative sleep. Chronic insomnia can be extremely disruptive and may cause daytime drowsiness, poor focus, and failed responsibilities. It can also affect health.

Alcohol is sometimes used as a form of self-medicating insomnia because of its soothing effects. While alcohol does cause drowsiness, it’s not effective for deep sleep. Research shows that alcohol reduces the amount of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the deepest, most restful stage of sleep, and can cause sleep disturbances.[9] You may get tired and fall asleep easily, but you may feel groggy the next morning, disrupting your sleep schedule.

Another risk of using alcohol to help with sleep is starting an unhealthy cycle. You may use alcohol to sleep, then caffeine to stay awake throughout the day because you didn’t experience restorative sleep. You may eventually become dependent on alcohol and caffeine to function each day, as well as develop an alcohol addiction.

Avoid Mixing Melatonin and Alcohol

If you take melatonin to help with insomnia or poor sleep, avoid mixing it with alcoholic drinks. Even a few drinks can have serious effects and are counterproductive to helping your sleep problems.