🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 137 (from laksa004)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa137.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.ucsfhealth.org/health-articles/melatonin-and-sleeping-pills\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.ucsfhealth.org/health-articles/melatonin-and-sleeping-pills\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/health-articles\/melatonin-and-sleeping-pills","crawl_time":1776404057,"first_indexed_time":1773397260,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"org,ucsfhealth!www,\/health-articles\/melatonin-and-sleeping-pills s443","src_root_hash":"4754465047442421737","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Melatonin and Sleeping Pills | Patient Education | UCSF Health","meta_descriptions":["Understand the difference between melatonin and sleeping pills, including the benefits and disadvantages of both sleep aids."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Melatonin\nMelatonin is a hormone naturally found in the brain in the pineal gland, which is affected by light. When there is an absence of light, the pineal gland secretes natural melatonin, which may make you sleepy.\nIngesting melatonin causes some people to become sleepy. Studies show that melatonin is not only good for helping you sleep, but it also has been found, in laboratory studies using rats and mice, to be an antioxidant, which can help slow the aging process. However, we do not know the long-term consequences of taking melatonin.\nThe concern with taking melatonin is that it is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), because it is considered to be a food supplement and not a medication. By law, the manufacturers are only required to include the distribution address on the container, not the ingredients or how the melatonin was made.\nSleeping Pills\nMost sleeping medications are meant to be taken for a short period of time, usually for two weeks to two months. When taken for a longer period of time, the effectiveness of the medications wear off. Therefore, dosages usually have to be increased in order for them to work.\nIf sleeping medications are indicated for longer periods of time, then a \"medication holiday\" should be taken. Taking a medication holiday means not taking a regular medication for a period of time, so the same small dosage can work once you take it again.\nSome sleeping pills can cause a drugged effect the morning after taking them. These medications tend to have longer \"half lives,\" which means they stay in your system longer. Some medications have shorter half lives, and you do not feel the drugged effect in the morning after taking the medication.","attrs_markdown":"Skip to main content\n\n[![UCSF Health](https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9\/media\/project\/valcore\/shared\/base\/logos\/ucsf-logo-small.svg?iar=0)](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/ \"Home\")\n\n[MyChart](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/mychart)[Request appointment](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/patients-visitors\/appointments)\n\n- [MyChart](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/mychart)\n- [Request appointment](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/patients-visitors\/appointments)\n- [Refer a patient](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/health-professionals\/refer-a-patient)\n\n- Find care\n  \n  Close menu\n  \n  [Find care](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/care)\n  \n  - [Medical services](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/medical-services)\n  - [Find a doctor](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/providers)\n  - [Find a location](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/locations)\n  - 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[Home](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/)\n2. [Health Articles](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/health-articles)\n\n# Melatonin and Sleeping Pills\nUnderstand the difference between melatonin and sleeping pills, including the benefits and disadvantages of both sleep aids.\n\n[Explore care](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/care)\n\n![](https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9\/media\/project\/valcore\/live\/ucsf\/legacy\/education\/hero\/melatonin-and-sleeping-pills-2x.jpg?h=1112&iar=0&w=1668&f=webp)\n\n## Melatonin\nMelatonin is a hormone naturally found in the brain in the pineal gland, which is affected by light. When there is an absence of light, the pineal gland secretes natural melatonin, which may make you sleepy.\n\nIngesting melatonin causes some people to become sleepy. Studies show that melatonin is not only good for helping you sleep, but it also has been found, in laboratory studies using rats and mice, to be an antioxidant, which can help slow the aging process. However, we do not know the long-term consequences of taking melatonin.\n\nThe concern with taking melatonin is that it is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), because it is considered to be a food supplement and not a medication. By law, the manufacturers are only required to include the distribution address on the container, not the ingredients or how the melatonin was made.\n\n## Sleeping Pills\nMost sleeping medications are meant to be taken for a short period of time, usually for two weeks to two months. When taken for a longer period of time, the effectiveness of the medications wear off. Therefore, dosages usually have to be increased in order for them to work.\n\nIf sleeping medications are indicated for longer periods of time, then a \"medication holiday\" should be taken. Taking a medication holiday means not taking a regular medication for a period of time, so the same small dosage can work once you take it again.\n\nSome sleeping pills can cause a drugged effect the morning after taking them. These medications tend to have longer \"half lives,\" which means they stay in your system longer. Some medications have shorter half lives, and you do not feel the drugged effect in the morning after taking the medication.\n\n## Recommended reading\n1 of 2\n\n- ![](https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9\/media\/project\/valcore\/live\/ucsf\/legacy\/education\/hero\/improve-your-sleep-hygiene-2x.jpg?h=1112&iar=0&w=1668&f=webp)\n  \n  [Improve Your Sleep Hygiene](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/health-articles\/improve-your-sleep-hygiene)\n  \n  Good sleep hygiene includes waking at consistent times and avoiding excessive time in bed. See more tips for helping your body get the right amount of rest.\n- ![](https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9\/media\/project\/valcore\/live\/ucsf\/legacy\/education\/hero\/overnight-sleep-study-2x.jpg?h=1112&iar=0&w=1668&f=webp)\n  \n  [Overnight Sleep Study](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/health-articles\/overnight-sleep-study)\n  \n  Find out how to prepare and what to expect during an overnight sleep study at our sleep testing lab.\n- ![](https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9\/media\/project\/valcore\/live\/ucsf\/legacy\/education\/hero\/sleep-quiz-2x.jpg?h=1112&iar=0&w=1668&f=webp)\n  \n  [Sleep Quiz](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/health-articles\/sleep-quiz)\n  \n  Take this quiz to help identify potential sleep issues. If you experience more than three of these sleep-related problems, visit your care provider for help.\n- ![](https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9\/media\/project\/valcore\/live\/ucsf\/legacy\/education\/hero\/snoring-2x.jpg?h=1112&iar=0&w=1668&f=webp)\n  \n  [Snoring](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/health-articles\/snoring)\n  \n  Snoring is a symptom of a narrow or closed airway that may have several causes. Find out when snoring is a concern and what treatments are available.\n- ![](https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9\/media\/project\/valcore\/live\/ucsf\/legacy\/education\/hero\/tips-for-a-better-nights-sleep-2x.jpg?h=1112&iar=0&w=1668&f=webp)\n  \n  [Tips for a Better Night's Sleep](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/health-articles\/tips-for-a-better-nights-sleep)\n  \n  Sleep is important to your overall health. Follow these guidelines to help you get a better night's rest.\n\n*UCSF Health medical specialists have reviewed this information. It is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or other health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your provider.*\n\n![](https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9\/media\/project\/valcore\/master\/demo\/task-menu\/task-menu-bkg.png?h=288&iar=0&w=900&f=webp)\n\n## I want to...\n\n[Find a doctor](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/providers)\n\n[Find a location](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/locations)\n\n[Explore care](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/care)\n\n[Refer a patient](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/health-professionals\/refer-a-patient \"See patient referral options\")\n\n[![UCSF Health](https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9\/media\/project\/valcore\/shared\/base\/logos\/ucsf-logo-small.svg?iar=0)](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/ \"Home\")\n\nBack to top\n\n## Quick links\n- [Locations & directions](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/locations)\n- [Contact us](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/contact-us)\n- [Patient relations](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/patients-visitors\/support-services\/patient-relations)\n- [Help paying your bill](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/patients-visitors\/billing-insurance\/help-paying-your-bill)\n- [International services](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/patients-visitors\/support-services\/international-services)\n- [Join our team](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/about\/careers)\n- [Donate](https:\/\/giving.ucsf.edu\/)\n\n## More information\n- [About us](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/about)\n- [Our leadership](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/about\/leadership)\n- [Quality of patient care](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/about\/quality-patient-care)\n- [Price transparency](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/about\/price-transparency)\n- [News & stories](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/health-articles-stories)\n- [Media resources](https:\/\/www.ucsf.edu\/news-media\/journalists)\n- [Accessibility 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relations](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/patients-visitors\/support-services\/patient-relations)\n- [Help paying your bill](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/patients-visitors\/billing-insurance\/help-paying-your-bill)\n- [International services](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/patients-visitors\/support-services\/international-services)\n- [Join our team](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/about\/careers)\n- [Donate](https:\/\/giving.ucsf.edu\/)\n\nMore information\n\n- [About us](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/about)\n- [Our leadership](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/about\/leadership)\n- [Quality of patient care](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/about\/quality-patient-care)\n- [Price transparency](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/about\/price-transparency)\n- [News & stories](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/health-articles-stories)\n- [Media resources](https:\/\/www.ucsf.edu\/news-media\/journalists)\n- [Accessibility resources](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/patients-visitors\/support-services\/accessibility-resources#Accessibility%20resources)\n- [Crisis standards of care (PDF)](https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9\/media\/project\/valcore\/live\/ucsf\/pdf\/crisis-standards-of-care.pdf)\n- [Report misconduct](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/terms-policies\/sexual-harassment-reporting-and-nondiscrimination-notice)\n\nResearch & education\n\n- [Clinical trials](https:\/\/clinicaltrials.ucsf.edu\/)\n- [UC San Francisco](https:\/\/www.ucsf.edu\/)\n- [UCSF School of Medicine](https:\/\/medschool.ucsf.edu\/)\n- [UCSF School of Nursing](https:\/\/nursing.ucsf.edu\/)\n- [UCSF School of Pharmacy](https:\/\/pharmacy.ucsf.edu\/)\n- [UCSF School of Dentistry](https:\/\/dentschool.ucsf.edu\/)\n\n## Follow us\n- [![Facebook](https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9\/media\/project\/valcore\/shared\/base\/icons\/icon_facebook.svg?h=30&iar=0&w=17)](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UCSFMedicalCenter\/)\n- [![X](https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9\/media\/project\/valcore\/shared\/base\/icons\/icon_x.svg?h=30&iar=0&w=30)](https:\/\/x.com\/ucsfhospitals)\n- [![Youtube](https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9\/media\/project\/valcore\/shared\/base\/icons\/icon_youtube.svg?h=24&iar=0&w=34)](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/UCSFMedicalCenter)\n- [![Instagram](https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9\/media\/project\/valcore\/shared\/base\/icons\/icon_instagram.svg?h=34&iar=0&w=33)](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ucsfhealth\/)\n- [![Linkedin](https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9\/media\/project\/valcore\/shared\/base\/icons\/icon_linkedin.svg?h=16&iar=0&w=16)](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/ucsfhealth)\n\nCaring for the Bay Area\n\n![Footer](https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9\/media\/project\/valcore\/master\/demo\/image-with-overlay-text\/footer.jpg?h=202&iar=0&w=800&f=webp)\n\n© 2002 - 2026 UCSF\n\n[Terms of use](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/terms-policies\/terms-of-use)[Texting terms](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/terms-policies\/about-ucsf-health-text-messaging)[Privacy policy](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/terms-policies\/website-privacy-policy)[Mailing policy](https:\/\/www.ucsfhealth.org\/terms-policies\/mailing-list-privacy-policy)[Notice of privacy practices](https:\/\/edge.sitecorecloud.io\/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9\/media\/project\/valcore\/live\/ucsf\/legacy\/pdf\/ucsfhipaa.pdf)","attrs_readable_markdown":"## Melatonin\nMelatonin is a hormone naturally found in the brain in the pineal gland, which is affected by light. When there is an absence of light, the pineal gland secretes natural melatonin, which may make you sleepy.\n\nIngesting melatonin causes some people to become sleepy. Studies show that melatonin is not only good for helping you sleep, but it also has been found, in laboratory studies using rats and mice, to be an antioxidant, which can help slow the aging process. However, we do not know the long-term consequences of taking melatonin.\n\nThe concern with taking melatonin is that it is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), because it is considered to be a food supplement and not a medication. By law, the manufacturers are only required to include the distribution address on the container, not the ingredients or how the melatonin was made.\n\n## Sleeping Pills\nMost sleeping medications are meant to be taken for a short period of time, usually for two weeks to two months. When taken for a longer period of time, the effectiveness of the medications wear off. Therefore, dosages usually have to be increased in order for them to work.\n\nIf sleeping medications are indicated for longer periods of time, then a \"medication holiday\" should be taken. Taking a medication holiday means not taking a regular medication for a period of time, so the same small dosage can work once you take it again.\n\nSome sleeping pills can cause a drugged effect the morning after taking them. These medications tend to have longer \"half lives,\" which means they stay in your system longer. Some medications have shorter half lives, and you do not feel the drugged effect in the morning after taking the medication.","meta_canonical":null}

3. Robots.txt Check

Query:

Response:

4. Spam/Ban Check

Query:

Response:

5. Seen Status Check

ℹ️ Skipped - page is already crawled

📄

INDEXABLE

✅

CRAWLED

20 hours ago

🤖

ROBOTS ALLOWED

Page Info Filters

Filter	Status	Condition	Details
HTTP status	PASS	`download_http_code = 200`	HTTP 200
Age cutoff	PASS	`download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH`	0 months ago
History drop	PASS	`isNull(history_drop_reason)`	No drop reason
Spam/ban	PASS	`fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0`	ml_spam_score=0
Canonical	PASS	`meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed`	Not set

Page Details

Property	Value
URL	https://www.ucsfhealth.org/health-articles/melatonin-and-sleeping-pills
Last Crawled	2026-04-17 05:34:17 (20 hours ago)
First Indexed	2026-03-13 10:21:00 (1 month ago)
HTTP Status Code	200
Meta Title	Melatonin and Sleeping Pills \| Patient Education \| UCSF Health
Meta Description	Understand the difference between melatonin and sleeping pills, including the benefits and disadvantages of both sleep aids.
Meta Canonical	null
Boilerpipe Text	Melatonin Melatonin is a hormone naturally found in the brain in the pineal gland, which is affected by light. When there is an absence of light, the pineal gland secretes natural melatonin, which may make you sleepy. Ingesting melatonin causes some people to become sleepy. Studies show that melatonin is not only good for helping you sleep, but it also has been found, in laboratory studies using rats and mice, to be an antioxidant, which can help slow the aging process. However, we do not know the long-term consequences of taking melatonin. The concern with taking melatonin is that it is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), because it is considered to be a food supplement and not a medication. By law, the manufacturers are only required to include the distribution address on the container, not the ingredients or how the melatonin was made. Sleeping Pills Most sleeping medications are meant to be taken for a short period of time, usually for two weeks to two months. When taken for a longer period of time, the effectiveness of the medications wear off. Therefore, dosages usually have to be increased in order for them to work. If sleeping medications are indicated for longer periods of time, then a "medication holiday" should be taken. Taking a medication holiday means not taking a regular medication for a period of time, so the same small dosage can work once you take it again. Some sleeping pills can cause a drugged effect the morning after taking them. These medications tend to have longer "half lives," which means they stay in your system longer. Some medications have shorter half lives, and you do not feel the drugged effect in the morning after taking the medication.
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[Home](https://www.ucsfhealth.org/) 2. [Health Articles](https://www.ucsfhealth.org/health-articles) # Melatonin and Sleeping Pills Understand the difference between melatonin and sleeping pills, including the benefits and disadvantages of both sleep aids. [Explore care](https://www.ucsfhealth.org/care) ![](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9/media/project/valcore/live/ucsf/legacy/education/hero/melatonin-and-sleeping-pills-2x.jpg?h=1112&iar=0&w=1668&f=webp) ## Melatonin Melatonin is a hormone naturally found in the brain in the pineal gland, which is affected by light. When there is an absence of light, the pineal gland secretes natural melatonin, which may make you sleepy. Ingesting melatonin causes some people to become sleepy. Studies show that melatonin is not only good for helping you sleep, but it also has been found, in laboratory studies using rats and mice, to be an antioxidant, which can help slow the aging process. However, we do not know the long-term consequences of taking melatonin. The concern with taking melatonin is that it is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), because it is considered to be a food supplement and not a medication. By law, the manufacturers are only required to include the distribution address on the container, not the ingredients or how the melatonin was made. ## Sleeping Pills Most sleeping medications are meant to be taken for a short period of time, usually for two weeks to two months. When taken for a longer period of time, the effectiveness of the medications wear off. Therefore, dosages usually have to be increased in order for them to work. If sleeping medications are indicated for longer periods of time, then a "medication holiday" should be taken. Taking a medication holiday means not taking a regular medication for a period of time, so the same small dosage can work once you take it again. Some sleeping pills can cause a drugged effect the morning after taking them. These medications tend to have longer "half lives," which means they stay in your system longer. Some medications have shorter half lives, and you do not feel the drugged effect in the morning after taking the medication. ## Recommended reading 1 of 2 - ![](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9/media/project/valcore/live/ucsf/legacy/education/hero/improve-your-sleep-hygiene-2x.jpg?h=1112&iar=0&w=1668&f=webp) [Improve Your Sleep Hygiene](https://www.ucsfhealth.org/health-articles/improve-your-sleep-hygiene) Good sleep hygiene includes waking at consistent times and avoiding excessive time in bed. See more tips for helping your body get the right amount of rest. - ![](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9/media/project/valcore/live/ucsf/legacy/education/hero/overnight-sleep-study-2x.jpg?h=1112&iar=0&w=1668&f=webp) [Overnight Sleep Study](https://www.ucsfhealth.org/health-articles/overnight-sleep-study) Find out how to prepare and what to expect during an overnight sleep study at our sleep testing lab. - ![](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9/media/project/valcore/live/ucsf/legacy/education/hero/sleep-quiz-2x.jpg?h=1112&iar=0&w=1668&f=webp) [Sleep Quiz](https://www.ucsfhealth.org/health-articles/sleep-quiz) Take this quiz to help identify potential sleep issues. If you experience more than three of these sleep-related problems, visit your care provider for help. - ![](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9/media/project/valcore/live/ucsf/legacy/education/hero/snoring-2x.jpg?h=1112&iar=0&w=1668&f=webp) [Snoring](https://www.ucsfhealth.org/health-articles/snoring) Snoring is a symptom of a narrow or closed airway that may have several causes. Find out when snoring is a concern and what treatments are available. - ![](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9/media/project/valcore/live/ucsf/legacy/education/hero/tips-for-a-better-nights-sleep-2x.jpg?h=1112&iar=0&w=1668&f=webp) [Tips for a Better Night's Sleep](https://www.ucsfhealth.org/health-articles/tips-for-a-better-nights-sleep) Sleep is important to your overall health. Follow these guidelines to help you get a better night's rest. UCSF Health medical specialists have reviewed this information. It is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or other health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your provider. ![](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/ucsfhealth1487c-ucsfplatfor7e11-prod0cc0-65a9/media/project/valcore/master/demo/task-menu/task-menu-bkg.png?h=288&iar=0&w=900&f=webp) ## I want to... 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Readable Markdown	## Melatonin Melatonin is a hormone naturally found in the brain in the pineal gland, which is affected by light. When there is an absence of light, the pineal gland secretes natural melatonin, which may make you sleepy. Ingesting melatonin causes some people to become sleepy. Studies show that melatonin is not only good for helping you sleep, but it also has been found, in laboratory studies using rats and mice, to be an antioxidant, which can help slow the aging process. However, we do not know the long-term consequences of taking melatonin. The concern with taking melatonin is that it is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), because it is considered to be a food supplement and not a medication. By law, the manufacturers are only required to include the distribution address on the container, not the ingredients or how the melatonin was made. ## Sleeping Pills Most sleeping medications are meant to be taken for a short period of time, usually for two weeks to two months. When taken for a longer period of time, the effectiveness of the medications wear off. Therefore, dosages usually have to be increased in order for them to work. If sleeping medications are indicated for longer periods of time, then a "medication holiday" should be taken. Taking a medication holiday means not taking a regular medication for a period of time, so the same small dosage can work once you take it again. Some sleeping pills can cause a drugged effect the morning after taking them. These medications tend to have longer "half lives," which means they stay in your system longer. Some medications have shorter half lives, and you do not feel the drugged effect in the morning after taking the medication.
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