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A troubling new analysis presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions has sounded an alarm that hardworking Americans should not ignore: long-term use of melatonin for chronic insomnia was associated with higher rates of heart failure, hospitalization, and death over a five-year period. The study looked at electronic health records and flagged a clear signal that what many of us have treated as a harmless, “natural” sleep aid may carry real cardiovascular risks when taken continuously.
The numbers are sobering and deserve plain talk. In the review of more than 130,000 adults with insomnia, those who used melatonin for a year or more faced about a 90 percent higher chance of developing heart failure, were roughly 3.5 times more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure, and had nearly double the all-cause mortality in that follow-up window. These aren’t fuzzy talking points from cable news; they are stark findings that demand attention from families and clinicians alike.
Before anyone panics, medical experts rightly caution this is an observational finding, not proof that melatonin causes heart failure, and the study is preliminary. Limitations include reliance on health records, lack of precise dosing information, and the reality that many Americans take over-the-counter melatonin that never shows up in medical charts — all reasons to treat the results as a warning flare rather than a final verdict. Still, caution is common sense when a supplement millions treat as benign shows this kind of association.
Dr. Chauncey Crandall, a respected cardiologist speaking on Newsmax’s “Newsline,” put it bluntly: melatonin can be useful in the short term, such as for jet lag, but long-term, continuous use appears to be sending up red flags for heart patients. He urges commonsense alternatives — chamomile tea, cherry juice, magnesium, better sleep hygiene and unplugging from screens — and warns against letting a pill replace disciplined habits and physician guidance. That practical advice from a doctor who serves real families should resonate across this country.
This story also exposes a larger conservative concern: the unchecked market for over-the-counter supplements and the fantasy that “natural” equals safe. Americans deserve transparent labeling, rigorous research, and doctors who will talk straight with patients instead of hiding behind “it’s natural so it’s safe.” Regulators and clinicians must work together to protect patients while preserving liberty of choice, but liberty without truth is no liberty at all.
We don’t need to surrender to fear, but we do need to act like responsible citizens — skeptical of easy fixes, protective of our families, and demanding better science. If you rely on melatonin, talk to your physician, limit it to short-term use, and prioritize the simple, proven steps Dr. Crandall recommends: regular sleep schedules, less screen time, calming rituals like tea and breathing exercises, and medical guidance for persistent insomnia. Congress and our health institutions should fund the research and oversight necessary so Americans can sleep peacefully without gambling with their hearts.
