A new study suggests that adults who used the sleep aid melatonin for a year or longer faced a much higher risk of heart problems. Researchers compared more than 130,000 adults diagnosed with insomnia and found that long-term melatonin users had about a 90 percent greater chance of being diagnosed with heart failure over five years compared to those who did not use it.
The study also found that melatonin users were over three times more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure and nearly twice as likely to die from any cause during the same period.
Experts stressed that the results do not prove melatonin causes heart failure. The research was observational and may have missed details such as exact dosage or consistent use.
Melatonin is widely used and often seen as safe for short-term sleep support, but these findings suggest that long-term, routine use may carry hidden risks that deserve closer attention.