Melatonin Improves Sleep In Patients Taking Beta Blockers

In a pioneering study on the use of melatonin to improve sleep in patients with hypertension who are taking beta blockers, researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital led by Frank Scheer, PhD, MSc, found that melatonin supplementation can indeed improve sleep patterns in these patients.

The study was carried out over the course of three weeks and found that none of the study participants taking the melatonin showed any of the adverse effects that are often observed with other classic sleep medication.
Scheer said that there were also no signs of 'rebound insomnia' after the participants stopped taking the drug and that in fact, melatonin had a positive carry-over effect on sleep even after the participants had stopped taking the drug.


Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland and is a hormone that is closely involved in the sleep wake cycles. It is a naturally occurring compound which is present in plants, microbes, animals, and humans. Levels of melatonin in people are different, depending on the daily cycle. It is also a very powerful antioxidant which protects mitochondrial DNA.