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Can you take gabapentin and melatonin together?

What to know about combining gabapentin with melatonin and how to do it safely
Sarah Bradley writer headshot
By | Feb. 11, 2025 Medically reviewed by Karen Berger, Pharm.D.
An open palm with a few pills in it: Can you take gabapentin and melatonin together?

Key takeaways

  • Gabapentin is often prescribed for seizures, nerve pain, and restless legs syndrome, while melatonin is an OTC sleep aid. Some people take these drugs together to increase their nerve pain relief, decrease anxiety, and improve their sleep.

  • It’s generally safe to take these drugs together, and most people do so in the evening just before bed. However, combining gabapentin and melatonin can make you feel especially drowsy or groggy.

  • Use caution when taking these drugs together, especially if you also drink alcohol or take other sedating medications.

  • Always talk to your healthcare provider about the safety of combining OTC medications with prescription ones, including combining gabapentin with melatonin.

In this article:

Individual medications are sometimes taken together to increase their positive effects: Tylenol (acetaminophen), aspirin, and caffeine, for example, is a well-known combination that can treat migraine pain better and faster than taking a single pain reliever. 

But you may not be as familiar with the combination of gabapentin and melatonin. At first glance, these two drugs don’t seem to have much in common. Gabapentin is a generic anticonvulsant available under the brand names Gralise and Neurontin that’s prescribed to treat seizures, nerve pain, and restless legs syndrome. Melatonin is an over-the-counter (OTC) supplement that mimics the hormone responsible for keeping your circadian rhythm in check and helping you fall asleep at night. 

Though these drugs seem mostly unrelated, people with a combination of acute and chronic conditions may find themselves taking both gabapentin and melatonin at the same time—and left wondering if it’s safe to use these medications together. Here’s what to know.

Can you take melatonin and gabapentin together?

Yes. They can be used together to treat various nerve pain disorders, with both drugs potentially having a positive impact on the way the body perceives pain. Gabapentin and melatonin may also be used as off-label treatments for anxiety, thanks to their ability to provide a calming, sedating effect on many people. 

Gabapentin may also be helpful for sleep. According to Joanna Lewis, Pharm.D., founder of The Pharmacist’s Guide, it has been shown to increase the total time and quality of sleep, and she says neurologists may recommend taking both drugs together as a treatment for insomnia.  

“Melatonin is helpful for falling asleep faster, and gabapentin is helpful for staying asleep longer and getting deeper sleep, so it could be beneficial for certain people to [combine them to] get the sleep that they need,” she explains.

Some studies have looked at the paired use of gabapentin and melatonin and found that the combination can be beneficial in other, more specific populations:

  • In a 2019 study of people with nerve pain, taking melatonin before going to bed reduced the daytime drowsiness caused as a side effect of gabapentin. Researchers think taking melatonin may help people with nerve pain reduce the amount of daytime sleepiness brought on by gabapentin.
  • In a 2018 study, researchers found that when gabapentin and melatonin were taken before lumbar back surgery, patients experienced less anxiety and less pain after surgery.
  • A combination of gabapentin and melatonin has also been shown to be helpful in reducing anxiety and pain in patients undergoing a specific procedure (retrobulbar eye block) before cataract surgery, according to a 2013 study.

According to Dr. Lewis, there isn’t much research about safe combined doses of melatonin and gabapentin, so the best approach may be to start with low doses of both medications and slowly titrate up (or increase) if you need and can tolerate higher doses. But talk to your healthcare provider before you start taking melatonin. They can recommend a dose that may be most helpful and advise you about whether it is safe to take with any other medications you may be taking. 

A typical starting dose of gabapentin is usually 250 to 300 milligrams, says Dr. Lewis, but there isn’t an established recommended dose for melatonin: “Most people start at 1 milligram and titrate up, though there is evidence to show that lower doses are actually more beneficial and higher doses of melatonin don’t have any added benefit.”

Dr. Lewis also notes that melatonin is typically only recommended for short-term use unless you’re under the supervision of a healthcare provider counseling you about taking it long-term.

Taking melatonin and gabapentin together

According to Erika Gray, Pharm.D., cofounder of Toolbox Genomics, gabapentin and melatonin can be taken together safely. Gabapentin is usually taken up to three times per day, she says, most commonly at night since it may cause sleepiness, lack of focus, and dizziness. As a sleep aid, melatonin is also typically taken at night, but a similar side effect profile means you’ll need to be careful when combining these medications.

“You might experience increased sleepiness, sedation, or difficulty concentrating when both melatonin and gabapentin are being taken together,” Dr. Gray says, “and increased feelings of sleepiness can also increase your risk of falls.”

Though there are benefits for some people to taking gabapentin and melatonin together, it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider before you do. Because melatonin is available over the counter and doesn’t require a prescription, a healthcare provider prescribing gabapentin to you won’t know that you’re taking both drugs unless you inform them. While the combination is generally safe, your healthcare provider may not want you taking both medications because of the increased sedation and risk of falls. 

“As a pharmacist, I don’t think I would routinely recommend that people take these drugs together for long-term use unless it’s under the direct advice of a provider,” Dr. Lewis says. “However, many people do take them together, usually at lower doses, with no issues or side effects.”

Can you take melatonin with gabapentin at night?

Yes—in fact, this is when most people would choose to take both medications. Gabapentin can be sedating on its own, so taking it at the same time as melatonin isn’t something most people should do during the day (unless the combination is being given in preparation for a surgical procedure, as in the two studies we mentioned earlier).

Dr. Gray says it’s important to take gabapentin and melatonin together only when you’re home for the evening and ready to go to bed. She also warns that alcohol and other sedative medications used in combination with melatonin, gabapentin, or a combination of both can increase sedation and grogginess. Exercise additional caution if you’ve had any alcoholic beverages, and talk to your healthcare provider before using these medications with drugs like Xanax (alprazolam), Valium (diazepam), or Ambien (zolpidem).

Gabapentin and melatonin comparison

As we’ve noted, gabapentin and melatonin are two relatively different drugs with different indications and purposes. Gabapentin is a prescription anticonvulsant and nerve pain medication, while melatonin is an OTC supplement designed to help people fall asleep.

That said, there is some overlap in the conditions these two medications can treat and in some of their side effects and interactions. For a clearer look at how gabapentin compares to melatonin, see the table below.

Gabapentin vs. melatonin: Comparison chart
Gabapentin Melatonin
Drug class Anticonvulsants Nutritional supplement
Standard dosage and forms
  • 300–600 mg, up to 3 times per day
  • Capsule, tablet, liquid
Risks and restrictions to consider
  • Several possible OTC drug interactions, including NSAIDs and antacids 
  • Safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding is unknown
  • Should not be stopped suddenly*
Side effects
  • Sleepiness/sedation
  • Confusion, lack of focus
  • Dizziness 
  • Sleepiness 
  • Morning grogginess*
  • Vivid dreams*
Average cost without insurance $152 $10
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Learn more More gabapentin details More melatonin details
* Information attributed to Erika Gray, Pharm.D., cofounder of Toolbox Genomics

Bottom line

Whether your healthcare provider recommends you take gabapentin and melatonin together as a targeted treatment for a single health condition, or you choose to take both drugs to treat separate conditions (gabapentin for back pain and melatonin for insomnia, for example), it’s not uncommon for people to end up taking gabapentin and melatonin at the same time, especially at night. It is generally safe to do so, but be aware that the combination may increase side effects like sleepiness and confusion. 

It’s important to always check with your healthcare provider about the safety of combining any medications, so we encourage you to get professional medical advice before taking gabapentin and melatonin together.