Melatonin and Alcohol: Is It Safe to Mix Them?

Many people think of melatonin as a mild, over-the-counter sleep aid. Because it is classified as a dietary supplement, it may also be easy to believe that they can safely take it anytime their sleep needs are not being met, even if they’ve been drinking wine, beer, or liquor.

However, the reality is much more complex. While melatonin and alcohol typically do not lead to dangerous chemical reactions similar to what occurs when certain medications and alcohol are combined, consuming alcohol along with melatonin can lead to serious risks depending on how intoxicated or sleepy you are, what other medications you are currently taking, and whether you have medical conditions that affect breathing, mood, or sleep.

This article will walk you through how these two substances react, the warning signs to watch for, and what you should do if you’re concerned.

How Melatonin Works in the Body

Melatonin is a hormone produced naturally in the brain in response to darkness. It plays an important role in regulating circadian rhythm, which is essentially the body’s own 24-hour cycle controlling everything from when we go to sleep to how sleepy we are during the day and when we become more alert.[1] 

Numerous studies indicate that melatonin may have beneficial properties for certain sleep disorders and melatonin supplements are commonly used for jet lag, delayed sleep-wake phase disorder, and certain sleep disorders. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, short-term use of melatonin appears to be safe for many people, but information about long-term safety is still limited.[2]

Melatonin is also not regulated like a prescription sleep medication is. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates dietary supplements under a different set of rules than conventional foods and drug products, which means supplement quality, dosing, and labeling can vary between products.[3]

What Alcohol Does to Sleep Quality

Alcohol can make you feel relaxed or sleepy, which is why some people like to have a drink before bed. But even though you are able to fall asleep quickly after a few drinks, alcohol can contribute to insomnia, affect circadian rhythms, and shorten sleep duration.[4]

Alcohol can also worsen breathing problems during sleep, especially if you have sleep apnea or another sleep-related breathing problem.[5] This is one reason alcohol before bed may be especially risky for people with sleep apnea or suspected sleep apnea.

In practical terms, alcohol may help you feel sleepy, but it does not support healthy sleep. It can fragment sleep, reduce deep sleep, and leave you feeling groggy, anxious, or unrested the next day.

What Happens When You Mix Melatonin and Alcohol?

When you combine alcohol and melatonin, you are combining two substances that can interfere with your ability to stay alert, which can impair your ability to drive safely, walk, and perform activities that require a high level of focus and concentration.

In general, there is not a direct relationship where alcohol “counteracts” the effect of melatonin. Instead, both substances can affect the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord, leading to the following side effects:

• Stronger drowsiness than expected
• Loss of balance or coordination
• Delayed response time
• Disorientation or confused thinking
• Next-day fatigue
• Nausea or headache
• Increased chance of falls, getting hurt, or having an accident

All of these possible side effects can increase depending on the number of alcoholic beverages you have consumed, the amount of melatonin taken, the type of melatonin product used—immediate-release or extended-release—the types of medications you take, and whether you have other health issues.

Is It Safe to Take Melatonin After Drinking Alcohol?

Generally speaking, it is not recommended to take melatonin when you have consumed alcohol.[6] Although one unintentional dose may not cause a medical emergency for every person, taking a sleep aid and alcohol at the same time increases the likelihood of becoming extremely drowsy and impaired.

Your level of impairment depends on factors such as:

• The amount of alcohol you have consumed
• The number of milligrams of melatonin taken
• The type of melatonin (immediate-release or extended-release)
• The types of medications you are currently taking, including antidepressants, anxiety medications, pain medications, antihistamines, and sleep aids

If you become unusually sedated after consuming alcohol and then taking melatonin by mistake, do not take more melatonin or drink any more alcohol to try to counteract it. Stay in a safe place, do not drive, and have someone check on you if your sedation is excessive.

Melatonin and Wine, Beer, or Liquor: Does the Type of Alcohol Matter?

The quantity of alcohol you drink and how close to taking melatonin it was when you drank is more critical than the type of beverage. 

Consuming multiple beers or liquor with melatonin can be risky, just like consuming multiple glasses of wine is, even if wine typically leaves you feeling less “buzzed.”  Regardless of what type of alcoholic beverage you drink, it can result in next-day grogginess and impaired coordination.

How Long Should You Wait After Drinking Before Taking Melatonin?

While there is no specific amount of time that allows you to safely consume beer, wine, or liquor while taking melatonin, several factors may increase the risk of side effects from taking these substances together.

The length of time you wait before taking melatonin after a few drinks depends on how quickly your body metabolizes alcohol. Since everyone metabolizes alcohol differently, the risk of taking melatonin will depend on how much you drank, how healthy you are, how many prescription medications you are taking, and how much melatonin you take.

As a guideline to err on the side of caution, it is best to refrain from taking melatonin when you have had some drinks and feel intoxicated, excessively sleepy, dizzy, or otherwise impaired. If you consumed alcohol early in the evening and are unsure what to do regarding melatonin, it would be safest to stop taking melatonin for the remainder of the evening and use other alternatives to fall asleep.

You may want to talk with a healthcare provider if you regularly wonder how long to wait after drinking before taking melatonin. That pattern may point to a larger issue with alcohol use, sleep problems, anxiety, depression, or stress.

Who Should Be Especially Careful?

Several factors may increase the risk of side effects from taking these substances together. 

You should consult with a healthcare professional before using melatonin if you have:

• History of sleep apnea or another breathing problem during sleep
• History of a mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety
• Alcohol dependence
• Difficulty sleeping consistently
• A current prescription for antidepressants, anxiety medications, pain medications, antihistamines, or other sleep aids

You should consult with your doctor before starting melatonin. If you frequently find yourself relying on alcohol or over-the-counter sleep aids to help you rest, you may want to address the root cause of your poor sleep habits or substance use pattern.

Can Alcohol Make Melatonin Less Effective?

Yes. 

Combining alcohol and melatonin can cause alcohol to negatively affect melatonin’s ability to support sleep.[7] Melatonin helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle, while alcohol can disrupt it and negatively affect the quality of sleep, meaning they work against each other.

Long-term alcohol use can also negatively affect mental health. Mental health and sleep are closely related, so disruptions in sleep patterns can negatively affect a person’s mood, cognitive functioning, emotional regulation, and overall sense of well-being.[8]

Alcohol may also mask some underlying psychological or physiological issues. If people are using alcohol to self-medicate and melatonin to help them fall asleep, their bodies may be indicating that deeper therapeutic intervention is needed.

Healthier Ways to Support Sleep

Combining alcohol with melatonin is not a reliable way to improve sleep. Instead, consider alternatives that can help support safer sleep.

First, avoid using melatonin after consuming alcohol and avoid activities that require alertness or coordination until you are sober. Remove potential fall hazards from your bedroom, drink water during the remainder of the evening, and allow your body time to metabolize the alcohol.

Establishing good sleep hygiene practices can also help support healthier sleep over time. Good sleep hygiene includes maintaining a regular sleep schedule, avoiding heavy alcohol use close to bedtime, reducing exposure to bright lights at night, developing a pre-sleep routine that calms you down, and seeing a doctor if your sleep issues continue.

A healthcare professional can assist in determining whether your continued difficulty falling asleep may be due to factors including insomnia, anxiety, depression, sleep apnea, withdrawal symptoms, or another health condition.

When Sleep Problems and Alcohol Use Need Treatment

While occasional sleep difficulties are quite common, using alcohol to fall asleep or using melatonin or other sleep aids frequently enough to fall asleep consistently should serve as a red flag.

Excessive alcohol use and chronic sleep disorders tend to feed off one another. Excessive drinking can cause poor-quality sleep; poor-quality sleep can increase stress, and increased stress can increase urges to drink. Long-term, this creates a cycle that can ultimately harm someone’s mental health, interpersonal relationships, job performance, education, and physical health.

A medical professional can help identify why you have developed this pattern of behavior and what type of treatment could best meet your specific needs. Treatment options may range from detoxification programs to residential treatment facilities, intensive outpatient treatment plans, medication-assisted treatment programs, and counseling, depending on your specific situation.

Treatment options may also depend on co-occurring mental health diagnoses such as depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, or other dual-diagnosis concerns