In the soundless pursuit of better sleep, melatonin has become an overnight sensation. A fivefold rise in usage over the past 20 years speaks volumes. Adults are downing it to beat jet lag, survive their vampiric night shifts, and ward off the insomniatic demons. Hold on to your sleep caps, though: are we messing up our melatonin moves?

According to the smart cookies over at the Better Sleep Council, we might be overdoing it on the melatonin front. With side effects ranging from the odd headache to the feeling of having partied hard in dreamland, some of us are waking up with a serious case of "melatonin hangover."

As our bodies naturally produce around 0.3 milligrams a day to keep our sleep-wake cycle in check, and considering most melatonin supplements are packing at least a solid 3 milligrams, we're essentially shot-gunning sleep juice. The result? A next-day performance that feels more like a deleted scene from The Walking Dead.

It gets trickier. Because melatonin is classified as a dietary supplement, its regulation is as loose as a crossfitter's gluten-free restrictions. Who knows what’s hiding in those over-the-counter little magic sleep pills? Don’t even get us started on the potential havoc by disrupting our body’s natural melatonin production.

If you're hell-bent on melatonin, the advice is clear: tread lightly. Sticking close to our body’s natural 0.3 milligrams is a smart move, and opt only for reputable brands offering third-party testing. Research is your best friend here.

Remember, melatonin is not a silver bullet (or pill). It's suitable for the occasional sleep fix like recovering from a timeshift or surviving erratic work schedules. But regular or long-term use might just be trading one issue for another.

Fun fact: melatonin doesn't mix well with birth control pills. It slows the elimination process and could leave you feeling like you've been hit by an insomnia truck the next day.

Before you rush to the supplement aisle in search of better sleep, why not start with the basics? Check your sleep hygiene, maintain a consistent sleep schedule, and create a Spartan-esque sleep fortress free from screens and disturbances. This might just be the ticket to the sweet dreams you've been longing for.

If you're perpetually drowsy or sound like a buzzsaw when you snooze, it's time to call in the healthcare cavalry. There might be more serious health problems lurking in the shadows that no amount of melatonin will fix.