A new study unveils that long-term use of sleeping pills or alternatives such as melatonin supplements is associated with a risk of cardiovascular issues or heart failure.
The study was presented by a team of U.S. researchers at the American Heart Association (AHA) for the “2025 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics” report on Monday, November 3, 2025.
Dr. Ekenedilichukwu Nnadi, lead author of the new study, informs that, "Insomnia can increase blood pressure, stress hormones, and inflammation."
Melatonin is a widely used supplement worldwide, often used to promote sleep and treat insomnia.
The study warns that prolonged use of the sleep supplement could be linked to heart failure or even death.
Medical experts explain that 'melatonin' is a natural hormone released by the body that helps regulate sleep and wake cycles, while synthetic versions or formulated melatonin dietary supplements marketed to help people fall asleep faster or overcome jet lag can be extremely harmful.
Researchers at AHA analysed five years of health records from thousands of adults with insomnia.
Analysing health records from more than 130,000 adults with insomnia, researchers compared regular melatonin users with non-users.
The results concluded that patients who took melatonin supplements for 12 months or more had approximately a 90% higher chance of heart failure over 5 years.
New research found that sleep supplement users were 3.5 times more likely to be hospitalized for cardiovascular attacks as compared to individuals who did not take the supplement.
“We have patients using all kinds of supplements without understanding the risks,” said Dr. Martha Gulati, a preventive cardiologist and director of the Davis Women’s Heart Centre at Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Institute in Texas.
Medical experts at the National Institute of Health (NIH) also advised that over-the-counter OTC melatonin supplements are unregulated and should not be taken without a doctor’s prescription or without necessary tests.
