Melatonin, also known as the sleep hormone, has a number of protective functions in the body. It is a powerful antioxidant that scavenges free radicals and counteracts “sickly” cells. Its levels in the blood are highest after midnight, when body temperature is also highest. This is the period when the body’s immune system performs “system maintenance”.
By the action of light at night, its level decreases. Short-term exposure (a one-minute visit to the toilet) does not bother, but after about 15 minutes in the light, it already drops. Intrusive light before bedtime delays the onset of melatonin by approximately 90 minutes. In addition to the intensity of the light, its spectral composition and the proportion of the activating blue component also matter.
During the day, melatonin levels are minimal. Its counterpart in the daily rhythm is cortisol, whose level is highest in the morning or morning.