Melatonin May Help Asthmatics Obtain Good Nights Sleep

FORTALEZA, Brazil--Researchers from the Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil evaluated melatonins sleep-inducing effects in patients with mild and moderate asthma.

The randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (170:947-51, 2004) (http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org), involved 22 women with asthma who were randomized to receive melatonin 3 mg (n = 12) or placebo (n = 10) for 4 weeks. Sleep quality and daytime somnolence were assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, respectively. Pulmonary function was assessed by spirometry. Melatonin treatment was found to significantly improve subjective sleep quality, as compared with placebo. No significant difference was found between groups in asthma symptoms, use of relief medication and daily peak expiratory flow rate.

The researchers concluded melatonin can improve sleep in asthmatic patients; however, further studies researching the long-term effects of melatonin on airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness are needed before melatonin can be recommended in patients with asthma.