Abstract

The hormone Melatonin and the amino acid 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) directly and indirectly affect your sleeping habits, which can result in several beneficial effects. This study observed the effects of 5-HTP and melatonin administration on the sleep cycles of medical students, who are continually under the pressures of school, resulting in improper sleeping habits and unregulated sleeping cycles, resulting in low levels of melatonin. Sixty-six students received three treatments: 5-HTP (50mg), Melatonin (5mg), and placebo, in a randomized, double-blind study. Each procedure was administered for 21 days, with reflex and cognitive tests conducted after each week, along with maintaining a daily sleep log and dream journal. The altering effects of the treatments on the sleep cycle of the subjects were successfully seen in this study. Reflex speed, along with the cognitive functions test, showed a significant positive increase for the 5-HTP group, while the Melatonin group showed significantly higher sleep periods along with an increase in the frequency of dreams. There were no significant changes for the placebo group throughout the experiment. Overall alertness and mood were increased for the 5-HTP group, while there was a decline in alertness for the melatonin group. 5-HTP exerted a modest benefit in improving the sleep quality of students, while Melatonin successfully improved the amount of sleep students were receiving.