A new study from Sweden found a link between the use of melatonin and a decrease in self-harm among young people with anxiety and depression. The observational study, conducted by scientists at the Karolinska Institute, revealed that the risk of self-harm increased before a melatonin prescription and decreased afterward, particularly in girls.
Melatonin is a natural hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles and is commonly used to treat sleep problems in adolescents and children. In Sweden, it was previously only available with a prescription but is now available over the counter.
In a statement released by the university, study leader Dr. Sarah Bergen, who holds a teaching position at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, expressed their interest in investigating the potential correlation between medical sleep therapy and decreased incidents of deliberate self-harm among young individuals, given the well-established link between sleep problems, depression, and self-inflicted harm.
The study of more than 25,500 adolescents and children in Sweden found that over 87% of children and teenagers prescribed melatonin also had at least one psychiatric disorder, and incidents of self-harm were more common in females than males. Researchers estimated the risks of self-harm while on and off melatonin by comparing each child’s risk before and after treatment, considering factors like genetics, psychiatric disorders, and sleep disorder severity.
Study findings indicate that the risk of self-harm was high before the melatonin prescription and reduced by around 50% in the subsequent months after subjects started using melatonin supplements. In addition, adolescent girls with depression and/or anxiety disorders showed the most significant risk reduction. This finding supports the idea that sleep interventions, such as melatonin, may reduce self-harm and suicide risk in youth, especially girls, amid the current youth mental health crisis.
In an observational study, researchers couldn’t establish a cause-and-effect relationship between melatonin use and lower self-harm rates. So they conducted additional analyses and found that even after excluding antidepressant users, the results remained similar.