Nightly melatonin production actually begins in the morning.

Melatonin is a hormone produced inside the body that tells the body when it is bedtime.

Around age 50, melatonin production can slow down or get earlier, and there is an increase in EEG arousals that break up sleep continuity.

Staying in sync with daylight by going to bed earlier and waking up closer to sunrise helps the brain regulate hormones like melatonin for sleep and cortisol for waking up.