Melatonin level and sleep disorders in adolescents

Abstract

and time of sleep. Decreased melatonin levels have been noted in people with sleep disorders. Melatonin is a neurohormone, produced mainly by the pineal gland, as well as a small part of the retina. Its function is to maintain normal circadian rhythms and it is related to sleep regulation in humans. Objective To assess for a relationship between melatonin levels and sleep disorders in adolescents. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study on students of two secondary schools in Tuminting, Manado, North Sulawesi, from May to June 2013. Subjects were obtained by consecutive sampling for a total of 44 adolescents aged 12-15 years. Subjects filled questionnaires, underwent wrist actigraphy, and provided blood specimens for examination of melatonin levels. We used descriptive and logistic regression analyses to assess for relationships between variables. Results Thirty (68.2%) subjects experienced sleep disorders. There was a significant association between decreased melatonin levels and the higher incidence of sleep disturbances (P = 0.02). Conclusion There is a correlation between melatonin levels in adolescents with sleep disorders. Decreased melatonin levels are associated with sleep disorders.

Keywords

• melatonin
• sleep disorders
• adolescents