A recent Guardian article laid bare a troubling trend, parents are resorting to black-market melatonin in a desperate attempt to help their children sleep. While melatonin is available to buy in the United States and Canada, it is prescription only in the UK, Europe, Australia and many other countries.
The story, “I feel like a drug dealer,” captures more than just a personal dilemma, it reflects a national sleep crisis fuelled by a lack of proper support, rising stress levels and systemic neglect.
According to The Sleep Charity’s “Dreaming of Change” report, an estimated nine in ten UK adults experience sleep difficulties. Even more shockingly, only one in three people who report insomnia symptoms have been formally diagnosed. That leaves around 14 million people potentially living with undiagnosed sleep disorders.
Perhaps most unsettling is the six-year average it takes for people to seek help. For millions, sleep loss is silently chipping away at their mental and physical health, increasing their risk of anxiety, depression, heart disease, obesity and even impaired immunity.
The hidden sleep thieves: work and environment
It’s not just internal factors at play. Three-quarters of workers cite the workplace as a key source of sleep disruption, with job insecurity, overwhelming workloads and the expectation to be “always on” via emails and messages after hours. And for others, it’s not stress but their surroundings: one in three experience “sleep poverty,” where noise, poor housing or inadequate bedding environments keep rest elusive.
Meanwhile, 48% of those struggling with sleep admit to engaging in high-risk behaviours, such as driving when exhausted, simply to get through the day. That’s not just a personal health crisis, it’s a public safety issue.
And yet, only one in twenty fully understands the long-term consequences of sleep deprivation.
The broken support system
Despite the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommending CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia) as the first-line treatment since 2009 – including more recently approved digital versions, access remains limited. The result is that GPs have few options, turning instead to prescriptions. Over 5 million sleeping pill prescriptions are issued annually in the UK, and prescriptions for children have tripled since 2015.
Food as medicine. Nutrition for better sleep
As a nutritional therapist, I see first-hand how lifestyle and diet play a pivotal role in sleep quality. Food isn’t a cure-all, but it can support the body’s natural rhythms, reduce anxiety and encourage restorative sleep. Here are some key nutritional strategies:
- Balance blood sugar
Unstable blood sugar can lead to night waking. Eating complex carbohydrates with protein at dinner or as a snack before bed- think oat cakes and nut butter or brown rice and grilled chicken- can support stable glucose levels through the night.
- Magnesium-rich foods
Magnesium is known as “nature’s tranquiliser.” It’s found in leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, almonds, avocado and dark chocolate (in moderation). It can also be absorbed through the skin through Epsom salt baths. This mineral supports muscle relaxation and calms the nervous system.
- Tryptophan & melatonin boosters
Tryptophan is an amino acid used to make serotonin, which in turn produces melatonin- your body’s sleep hormone. Foods like turkey, oats, bananas and yoghurt are good sources. Combine with complex carbs to improve uptake into the brain.
- Avoid caffeine & alcohol
It sounds obvious, but many clients don’t realise that caffeine has a half-life of around 6 hours. That afternoon coffee or even dark chocolate can disrupt sleep. Alcohol may make you drowsy initially but leads to fragmented, poor-quality rest.
- Support the gut
The gut is often called the “second brain.” A healthy microbiome contributes to serotonin production and can affect sleep. Incorporate fermented foods like kimchi, kefir, natural yoghurt or sauerkraut- or a probiotic supplement if needed.
Sleep, like nutrition, is a pillar of wellbeing. Until we treat it as such, families will remain lost in the dark, turning to unregulated solutions to find the rest they deserve.
References
‘I feel like a drug dealer’: the parents using black-market melatonin to help their children sleep, ‘I feel like a drug dealer’: the parents using black-market melatonin to help their children sleep | Parents and parenting | The Guardian
Black- market melatonin use points to the need for a national sleep strategy Black-market melatonin use points to the need for a national sleep strategy | Sleep | The Guardian
Sleep Manifesto 2024 Sleep Manifesto 2024 – The Sleep Charity
Why employers need to take sleep seriously Why Employers Need to Take Sleep Seriously: Insights from our Dreaming of Change: A Manifesto For Sleep – The Sleep Charity
UK adults report poorer sleep, seeing friends less often and exercising less as financial strain takes its toll UK adults report poorer sleep, seeing friends less often and exercising less as financial strain takes its toll – new survey results | Mental Health Foundation
Sleep: a neglected public health issue Sleep: a neglected public health issue
Every mind matters Sleep problems – Every Mind Matters – NHS
Managing insomnia Scenario: Managing insomnia | Management | Insomnia | CKS | NICE
The effects of dietary nutrition on sleep and sleep disorders The Effects of Dietary Nutrition on Sleep and Sleep Disorders – PMC
The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial – PMC
Impact of insufficient sleep on dysregulated blood glucose control under standardised meal conditions Impact of insufficient sleep on dysregulated blood glucose control under standardised meal conditions – PubMed
Association of magnesium intake with sleep duration and sleep quality Association of magnesium intake with sleep duration and sleep quality: findings from the CARDIA study | SLEEP | Oxford Academic
Impact of tryptophan supplementation on sleep quality impact of tryptophan supplementation on sleep quality: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression | Nutrition Reviews | Oxford Academic
Gut microbiome diversity is associated with sleep physiology in humans Gut microbiome diversity is associated with sleep physiology in humans | PLOS One