Insights on sleep troubles and public perceptions of melatonin use as a sleep aid among adults in the western region of Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional online survey

Background Sleep-related disturbances such as insomnia, and jet lag are widely discussed in medicine. Melatonin, is often used to treat these disorders. In Saudi Arabia, Sleep troubles were found to be prevalent and account for a major public health concern.Objectives This study aimed to define the demographic and lifestyle players influencing sleep habits and using sleep aid. It also evaluated participants’ attitude regarding the safety and effectiveness of melatonin.Methods A cross-sectional study employed a pre-validated constructed online questionnaire targeting the population of the Western region in Saudi Arabia conducted between October 2024 and January 2025. Quantitative data were analyzed employing IBM SPSS Statistics version 27.0.Results The study surveyed 843 participants, primarily from Taif (77.1%). Approximately 73% of the respondents reported experiencing sleeping troubles. However, only 29.4% reported using sleep aid, with melatonin being the most common (13%). Additionally, 86.8% believed long-term use was unsafe and advised against such usage. Regarding melatonin administration, most users obtained melatonin without a prescription (93.5%) as needed (54.6%). They also exhibited a positive attitude towards melatonin regarding being effective (57.4%), generally safe (58.3%), and they did not report any adverse effects (61.1%).Conclusion Participants showed a favourable attitude towards melatonin effectiveness, tolerability, and safety. Further studies are needed to assess long-term safety and increase public awareness regarding OTC use of medication.