What if the little gummy or pill you have been taking every night for years to fall asleep was quietly putting extra strain on your heart? New research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2025 suggests that this might actually be happening, and the numbers are hard to ignore.
What the Study Actually Found
Researchers looked at more than 130,000 adults with chronic insomnia using a large database of de-identified medical records. They compared people who had used melatonin for a year or longer against people with no documented melatonin use at all. The difference in heart failure rates between the two groups was substantial. People taking melatonin long-term had about a 90% higher chance of developing heart failure over the following five years. Heart failure showed up in 4.6% of melatonin users compared to just 2.7% of non-users.
The researchers did not stop there. They also found that melatonin users were hospitalized for heart failure at nearly three and a half times the rate of the comparison group. Deaths from any cause were higher too, nearly double among people who had used melatonin long term.
Why This Matters So Much
Melatonin has a reputation as a gentle, natural sleep aid. Millions of people reach for it without a second thought, assuming it carries basically no risk. That reputation is part of what makes these findings so notable. The lead researcher, Dr. Ekenedilichukwu Nnadi, highlighted that melatonin might not be as harmless as most people assume. Doctors just have to rethink how they counsel patients about long-term use of sleep aids.
Sleep researcher Marie Pierre St Onge, who was not part of the study, raised a separate concern. In the United States, melatonin is not actually approved or indicated for treating insomnia. It is sold over the counter as a supplement, which means there is little regulation around dosage, strength, or long-term safety data. People taking it every night for months or years may not realize they are essentially self-prescribing something without much research behind extended use.
The Study Has Real Limits
It is worth being clear that this research shows an association, not proof that melatonin directly causes heart failure. People with more severe insomnia, anxiety, or depression might be more likely to use melatonin in the first place, and those conditions could independently affect heart health. The researchers accounted for many factors, but they could not rule out everything.
Even with those limitations, the consistency of the findings across multiple outcomes, heart failure diagnosis, hospitalization, and death, is enough to raise real questions. More research is clearly needed, but the results are not something to brush aside either.
What This Means If You Take Melatonin Regularly
If you have been using melatonin nightly for an extended period, this is not a reason to panic, but it is a good reason to talk to someone. Bringing it up during your next appointment with a cardiologist visit gives you a chance to review your heart health alongside your sleep habits, rather than treating them as two separate issues.
People dealing with chronic insomnia often focus entirely on fixing their sleep and forget that heart health and sleep quality are closely connected. If you have other risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure or a family history of heart disease, you might want to schedule a visit with a cardiologist to discuss whether your current sleep aid regimen is appropriate for your overall cardiovascular risk profile.
Getting Help Close to Home
When looking for a cardiologist near Peoria, it’s helpful to work with a team that treats the whole patient, not just one symptom at a time. Your local heart care clinic in Peoria can assess your heart function, review your medications and supplements, and assist you in determining if you need any adjustments, based on your personal health history.
Long-term sleep habits and heart health are more connected than most people realize. If melatonin has been part of your nightly routine for a while, it might be worth a conversation with a specialist.
Talk to a Specialist
If you are looking for a heart care clinic in Peoria or want to find a cardiologist near Peoria to discuss your sleep habits and heart health, Advanced Cardiovascular Center can help.
