Can You Bring Melatonin on a Plane?

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A woman asking if you can bring melatonin on a plane

Long distance flying isn’t always easy. A big issue some people have is sleeping on a plane, so it’s only natural that you’re here trying to find a solution to the answer “can you bring melatonin on a plane?”

The good news is that we were actually interested in this question ourselves.

As a result, we’ve done the research for you and found out whether you are legally allowed to bring a natural sleep aid containing melatonin onto planes (as well as whether they’re actually beneficial too).

*If you’re interested, you can check out our favorite sleep supplement that contains a natural source of melatonin here. 

Check out our findings…

Can You Take Melatonin on a Plane?

Let’s first answer the question of whether it is legal to take melatonin (or sleep supplements containing melatonin) onto planes. Because if it’s not legal, it doesn’t matter if they work or not.

Now, please note that we’re not lawyers or professions that work in law. But after spending some time researching, it seems that you are indeed legally allowed to take melatonin on your travels to Asia; this is because melatonin is classed as medicine and the TSA and others don’t have issues with medication.

Here are 2 important things that the TSA notes on their website [1]:

  • You can bring unlimited amounts of medication (such as sleep supplements containing melatonin) as long as it’s in pill or solid form. Pill form can be taken both on carry on bags and checked bags.
  • If your melatonin is in liquid form, then you will be limited to “reasonable quantities” and they must be declared to TSA officers at the checkpoint for inspection.

From other sources we’ve seen, it seems that traveling with melatonin isn’t limited to prescriptions either. The TSA have confirmed on Twitter [2] that over-the-counter melatonin is also safe to take on planes too.

Quick Summary of bringing melatonin on a plane

Yes. You are allowed to take melatonin onto flights without any legal implications (in our honest opinion, from our research).

To avoid any potential issues, we always personally take natural sleep aids in pill form.

Using Melatonin to Sleep on a Plane: Is It Worth It?

A bottle of melatonin supplement on a blue background

Now that you it’s legal to take melatonin onboard your flights, the question remains – does melatonin work on flights?

There seem to be mixed responses in forums on the effectiveness of melatonin. Some people “swear by it”, while others experience no benefits.

Taking the right Melatonin Dosage is Important (on a plane and in general too)

In a clinical study researching the effectiveness of melatonin for promoting healthy sleep, the scientists found that 3-5mg melatonin seemed to be the “sweet spot”. Interestingly, the higher dosages of 6mg-10mg finding less positive results [3].

So remember: more isn’t always better, especially with melatonin.

In fact, higher dosages of melatonin has actually led to us feeling drowsy in the morning – not something that’ll help you enjoy your holiday once you land!

We prefer natural sources of melatonin such as Montmorency Tart Cherry

We went through periods of taking melatonin when struggling to sleep. But we became tired of feeling drowsy in the morning (pardon the pun).

After testing different products, we eventually became aware of natural sleep aids containing Montmorency tart cherry; this ingredient contains melatonin naturally and it’s fixed our issue of feeling drowsy in the morning while still benefiting from improved sleep quality on planes.

For this reason, we always go with over-the-counter natural sleep supplements containing Montmorency Tart Cherry on flights or to recover from jet lag. Instead of taking synthetic melatonin directly.

Final Verdict: Can You Bring Melatonin On A Plane and Should You Take It?

You’ll be glad to hear that the TSA have confirmed on their website and Twitter responses that you are able to take both prescription and over-the-counter melatonin on your flights.

Just remember that there are limitations on medication in liquid form to “reasonable quantities”. It’s not 100% clear what this maximum amount is, so we personally always choose sleep supplements in pill or capsule form that contains powder instead of liquid.

We hope that you found the answer to your question in our article here. If not, let us know in the comments and we’ll do our best to help!

If you’re wondering what else you can take on a plane without issues, read our other article “can you bring vitamins on a plane” too.

References: 

  1. TSA. Can you pack your meds in a pill case and more questions answered. Available online: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/travel-tips/can-you-pack-your-meds-pill-case-and-more-questions-answered

  2. TSA. Twitter Response Available Online: https://twitter.com/AskTSA/status/827155196446908417

  3. RB Costello. The effectiveness of melatonin for promoting healthy sleep: a rapid evidence assessment of the literature. Published online 2014 Nov 7. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-13-106

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