Why Your Melatonin Stopped Working (And What to Do About It)

Published January 2025 · 8 min read

You started taking melatonin and it worked great—for a while. Now you're taking more and sleeping worse. Here's what's happening in your body and what actually works for long-term sleep support.

If you've been taking melatonin for more than a few weeks and it's not working like it used to, you're not imagining things. This is one of the most common complaints we hear, and there's solid science behind why it happens.

The short answer: melatonin is a hormone, and your body adapts to external hormones. The longer answer involves receptor desensitization, natural production suppression, and a supplement industry that doesn't want you to know about better alternatives.

The Tolerance Problem Nobody Talks About

Melatonin works by binding to melatonin receptors in your brain (MT1 and MT2). When you take it occasionally—like for jet lag—this works fine. Your receptors respond, you feel sleepy, you adjust to the new time zone.

But when you take melatonin every night, something changes. Your brain notices the constant flood of external melatonin and responds by:

1. Downregulating receptors. Your brain literally reduces the number of melatonin receptors available. Same dose, fewer targets, less effect.

2. Reducing natural production. Why would your pineal gland work hard to produce melatonin when it's being supplied externally? It doesn't. Production drops.

3. Shifting sensitivity. The receptors that remain become less responsive. You need more melatonin to get the same effect.

This is why the 3mg that worked great in week one becomes 5mg by month two, then 10mg, then "why isn't this working at all?"

The Dosing Disaster

Here's where it gets worse. A 2017 study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine tested 31 melatonin supplements and found:

So not only does melatonin cause tolerance, but you might not even know how much you're actually taking. That 5mg pill could contain anywhere from 1mg to 25mg depending on the batch.

This dosing chaos accelerates tolerance. Some nights you're getting a tiny dose, other nights you're flooding your receptors. Your body can't establish any equilibrium.

What Your Body Actually Needs for Sleep

Melatonin is just one piece of your sleep system—and it's not even the main piece. Your body uses multiple pathways to generate sleepiness:

Adenosine buildup. This is the primary driver of "sleep pressure." Adenosine accumulates in your brain throughout the day, making you progressively sleepier. (Caffeine works by blocking adenosine receptors, which is why it keeps you awake.)

GABA activation. Your brain's main inhibitory neurotransmitter calms neural activity and promotes relaxation.

Cortisol rhythm. Your stress hormone should be low at night. If it's elevated, sleep becomes difficult regardless of melatonin levels.

Temperature regulation. Your core body temperature needs to drop for sleep onset. Some supplements support this process.

Melatonin is really just a timing signal—it tells your body when to sleep, not how to sleep. When people struggle with sleep, the problem is usually one of the systems above, not insufficient melatonin.

What Works Instead

If melatonin has stopped working for you, the solution isn't more melatonin. It's supporting the pathways that actually generate deep, restorative sleep—without causing tolerance.

Adenosine-Pathway Support: Reishi Mushroom

Reishi mushroom contains adenosine and compounds that support adenosine signaling. Unlike melatonin, it doesn't introduce hormones or bind to receptors that desensitize. Users report consistent effectiveness even after months of daily use.

The catch: most reishi products don't actually contain meaningful adenosine. Many use alcohol extraction (which damages adenosine) or mycelium-on-grain (mostly starch). Look for water-extracted fruiting body products that verify adenosine content.

Our top-ranked option is Ahara Reishi Elixir—the only product we've found that actually tests and publishes adenosine levels.

Magnesium for GABA Support

Magnesium supports GABA function and muscle relaxation. Many people are deficient without knowing it. Glycinate form is best for sleep—it provides both the magnesium and glycine (an amino acid that also supports sleep).

Unlike melatonin, magnesium doesn't cause tolerance. Your body uses it and eliminates excess.

L-Theanine for Racing Thoughts

If your problem is a mind that won't shut off, L-theanine promotes alpha brain waves (the relaxed-but-alert state) without sedation. It's the compound in green tea that makes it calming despite the caffeine.

Again, no tolerance issues. It works through a mechanism that doesn't desensitize.

How to Transition Off Melatonin

If you've been taking melatonin nightly, don't stop cold turkey. Your natural production is suppressed and needs time to recover. Here's a reasonable approach:

Week 1-2: Cut your current dose in half. Start an alternative like reishi or magnesium.

Week 3-4: Cut the melatonin dose in half again. Continue the alternative.

Week 5+: Drop melatonin entirely. Your natural production should be recovering. The alternative is now your primary support.

Some people experience a few rough nights during transition. This is normal—your melatonin receptors are upregulating and natural production is resuming. It typically resolves within a week.

The Bottom Line

Melatonin tolerance is real, common, and predictable. It's a hormone, and your body adapts to external hormones. This isn't a flaw—it's biology.

The solution isn't more melatonin or stronger melatonin. It's supporting sleep through pathways that don't cause tolerance: adenosine signaling (reishi), GABA support (magnesium), and neurotransmitter balance (L-theanine).

If melatonin worked for you once, that's evidence your body can sleep well. You just need to support it through a different mechanism.