Melatonin Dosage Calculator: Find Your Right Dose

0.3–0.5 mg is the lowest effective dose for most adults. Drugstore 5–10 mg pills are supraphysiological and cause grogginess without better sleep.

30–60 minutes before target bedtime for sleep onset. To shift your clock earlier, take it ~5 hours before habitual bedtime.

Short-term use is well tolerated. For chronic use, cycle off every 4–6 weeks and consult a clinician. Avoid in pregnancy without supervision.

Tart cherries, kiwi, milk, and walnuts contain small amounts (~0.1 mg). They won't replace supplementation but support a sleep-friendly diet.

Yes — melatonin can increase REM density, leading to vivid or intense dreams in 5–10% of users.

This is a question for a pediatrician, not a calculator. Some short-term, guided use may be appropriate in certain cases, but routine bedtime use in children isn't generally recommended without first ruling out an underlying sleep disorder, and appropriate dosing varies significantly by child.

Timing relative to your circadian phase matters, and higher doses (5–10 mg) aren't necessarily more effective — some people report the opposite. If it's not working, that's worth discussing with a doctor or pharmacist rather than self-adjusting dose and timing repeatedly.