Keeping Your Body In Sync ... And In Shape

If you find yourself fighting the blues, battling eating problems during the winter months, and sleeping too much, your body may be suffering from imbalances of melatonin, a powerful regenerative hormone associated with a healthy sleep cycle. Your body releases melatonin in rhythm with the light/dark cycle. More melatonin is produced at night, to promote sleep, while levels drop during the daytime, allowing you to be alert and active. During the winter season, however, increased darkness can disrupt healthy secretion patterns, making levels too low during the night, or too high during the day.

Studies have linked melatonin imbalance to both Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) — a depression that occurs during winter — and eating disorders and obesity. For this reason, "light therapy" aimed at re-establishing the body's natural pattern of melatonin secretion has been shown to both improve mood and reduce body weight in individuals suffering from obesity.

Because melatonin is a "master hormone," it also regulates other hormones associated with food intake, fat production, and body weight.

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SleepCheck If you are interested in learning more about a BodyBalance product that measures melatonin levels, then please visit the SleepCheck product page.

References:

1. Brambilla F, Fraschini F, Esposti G, Bossolo PA, Marelli G, Ferrari E. Melatonin circadian rhythm in anorexia nervosa and obesity. Psychiatry Res 1988;23(2):267-76.
2. Bylesjo EI, Boman K, Wetterberg L. Obesity treated with phototherapy: four case studies. Int J Eat Disord 1996;20(4):443-446.
3. Ferrari E, Foppa S, Bossolo PA, Comis S, Esposti G, Licini V, Fraschini F, Brambilla F. Melatonin and pituitary-gonadal function in disorders of eating behavior. J Pineal Res 1989;7(2):115-24.
4. Lincoln FA, Richardson M. Photo-neuroendicrine control of seasonal cycles in body weight, pelage growth and reproduction: lessons from the HPD sheep model. Com Biochem Physiol C Pharmacol Toxicol Endocrinl 1998;119(3):283-94.
5. Shafi M, MacMillan DR, Key MP, Kaufman N, Nahinksy ID. Case study: melatonin in severe obesity. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatr 1997;36(3):412-6.

One of BodyBalance's missions is to educate the consumer on a variety of wellness topics. This section of the website is designed to provide you with a balanced presentation of health-related information. The information contained within this section is not intended to be attributed to any products, and such information does not constitute labeling or advertising for any products.