Melatonin--Sublingual tablets, 5 mg per tablet

Melatonin is a natural substance secreted by the pineal gland.

Melatonin is recognized as a key element in regulating the body's day/night metabolic rates. Its secretion is synchronized with our biological clock which dictates the daily changes upon the body's metabolic activity: our circadian rhythms.

Its most popular use is to help alleviate jet lag: "Melatonin can alleviate jet lag and tiredness after long haul flights (1)".   

Melatonin is also an excellent antioxidant: a potent, free-radical scavenger. It also reduces blood platelet aggregation and thus provides an aspirin type of protective effect on the coronaries. Another crucial role of Melatonin is in its maintenance of the immune system.

1) Petrie, K.,et al: Effect of Melatonin on jet lag after long haul flights. Brit. Med. J. 298, 705-7 (1989).

Take one tablet right before bedtime. For jetlag, take two nights before leaving and then three nights afterward during one's trip.