Sleep Disorder Medications
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According to a survey conducted in 1999, about 30% of American women and 20% of men reported taking medication to help them sleep at some point of their lives. Over half of these medications are over the counter drugs. Researches have shown that prolonged use of sleeping pills will result in dependency. In spite of the danger of dependency, many people still prefer to take sleeping pills as a quick fix to their sleeping problem. In reality, using sleeping drugs do not solve the problem in the long run.
If you have to take medications to help you sleep due to some temporary factor such as an ailment, travelling, or just need to get some sleep, then you have to be sure of the effects of the medication you choose and use it only when you really need it. In addition, make an effort to improve your sleeping habits and sleep environment to be more conducive for sleep.
If you must take sleeping pills, the following precautions are important:
Start with non-prescription medication.
If prescription hypnotics are required, start with as low a dose as possible.
In general, do not take either prescription nor non-prescription sleeping pills on consecutive days or for more than two to four days a week.
If insomnia is still a problem after stopping the drug and continuing with good sleep hygiene, this pattern can be repeated again, but for no longer than four weeks.
Medication should be withdrawn gradually and the patient should be aware of the possibility of rebound insomnia when stopping medication.
Alcohol intensifies the side effects of all sleeping medication and should be avoided.
Drugs which are used specifically for inducing sleep is called hypnotics. Benzodiazepines are the most common prescribed hypnotics. Commonly prescribed Benzodiazepines include the following:
Long acting Benzodiazepines: Flurazepam (Dalmane), clonazepam (Klonopin), quazepam (Doral).
Medium- to short-acting benzodiazepines: Triazolam (Halcion), Lorazepam (Ativan), Alprazolam (Xanax), Temazepam (Restoril), Oxazepam (Serax), Prazepam (Centrax), Estazolam (ProSom), and Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol). Short-acting benzodiazepines are particularly useful for air travelers who want to reduce the effects of jet lag.
When taking Benzodiazepines, be mindful of the possible side effects. Here are some common side effects of the drug:
- May increase depression, which is a common symptom of people with sleep disorder.
- Respiratory depression may occur with overuse or used by people with preexisting respiratory diseases.
- Long acting Benzodiazepines has very high rate of residual daytime drowsiness. They have been associated with a significantly increased risk for automobile accidents and falls in the elderly particularly in the first week after taking them. Shorter-acting benzodiazepines do not appear to pose as high a risk.
- Memory loss, sleepwalking, moodswings are reported after taking Halcyon and other short acting Benzodiazepines. These side effects are some how rare and usually enhanced by alcohol.
- Because these drugs cross the placenta and enter breast milk, pregnant women or nursing mothers should not use them. An association was reported between the use of benzodiazepines in the first trimester of pregnancy and the development of cleft lip in newborns.
- In rare cases, overdoses have been fatal.
Elderly people are more susceptible to side effects and should usually start at half the dose prescribed for younger people and should not take long-acting forms. Side effects may differ depending on whether the benzodiazepine is long- or shorting acting.
Benzodiazepines are potentially dangerous when used in combination with alcohol, and some medications, like the ulcer medication cimetidine, can slow the metabolism of the benzodiazepine. This type of medication can be highly addictive. When you stop taking this medication, you will probably have some withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms usually occur after prolonged use and indicate dependence. They can last one to three weeks after stopping the drug and may include the following:
Gastrointestinal distress.
Sweating.
Disturbed heart rhythm.
In severe cases, patients might hallucinate or experience seizures, even a week or more after the drug has been stopped.
Rebound insomnia, which often occurs after withdrawal, typically includes one to two nights of sleep disturbance, daytime sleepiness, and anxiety. In some cases patients may experience the return of original severe insomnia. The chances for rebound are higher with the short-acting benzodiazepines than with the longer-acting ones.
Beside Benzodiazepines, another common drugs to induce sleep is antihistamines. This drug is easily available over the counter in many different forms. They may simply contain diphenhydramine alone (Nytol, Sleep-Eez, Sominex) or contain combinations of diphenhydramine with pain relievers (Anacin P.M., Exedrin P.M., Tylenol P.M.). Doxylamine (Unison) is another antihistamine used in sleep medications. The main side effects of taking antihistamines is that the patient is drowsy the next day and is not effective in providing a restful sleep. Other side effects include daytime sleepiness, dizziness, drunken movement, dry mouth and blurred vision.
In general these type of drugs should be avoided by people with health conditions such as angina, heart arrhythmias, glaucoma, urination problems, and those taking medication to prevent nausea and motion sickness. Doxylamine should be avoided by patients with chronic lung disease.
Even for healthy people, these sleeping inducing drugs are not a good solution. They are not intended for long term use and rely on the sedating effects to facilitate sleep. It is important that you don't perform activities which require full mental alertness such as driving. Be sure to pay attention to your body’s physical response to them. Immediately discontinue use if you experience any severe adverse effects such as forgetfulness, constipation, urinary retention, and dizziness.
So we know about Benzodiazepines and its side effects, is there any other medication in the market which does not contain Benzodiazepines? Yes, there are, indeed, and with fewer side effects than Benzodiazepines. The common non-benzodiazepines medications include:
Zaleplon (Sonata) is the shortest-acting hypnotic available. It can be taken even in the middle of the night and if a patient needs to awaken in only four hours. In such cases, the medication is effective and still does not leave the person overly sedated in the morning. It appears to have a better safety record than other hypnotics and may be particularly useful for patients in the younger and older age groups.
Zolpidem (Ambien) may be useful for people who take it as soon as they go to bed, since it is longer acting than Sonata. A 2002 study suggested that the drug might be used on an as-needed basis, with up to five tablets taken a week. After three weeks, two-thirds of the patients taking zolpidem in this way were able to reduce their tablet intake by more than 25% without losing improvements in sleep.
These medications are especially useful for preventing jet lag. They are useful for people who has mood disorders such as depression and stress disorder. They appear to be safer for the elderly compare to Benzodiazepines. Eventhough these drugs has less side effects compare to Benzodiazepines, patients will still experience some mild side effects such as:
-Nausea
-Dizziness
-Agitation or antagonistic mood in the morning
-Amnesia (in very high doses)
-Headache
So can these drugs be taken long term? In one study, people who took this hypnotic every night for one year had no evidence of dependency or withdrawal symptoms, but more large studies are needed to confirm long-term safety. These agents are still subject to abuse. In any case, no hypnotic should be taken for more than a few days or at higher than the recommended dose.
The most significant concern about the use of medications for treating insomnia is that medication does not address the root cause of the problem, and instead becomes a crutch to lean on rather than a cure. Just as you would not leave a cast on a broken bone indefinitely because it would cause the muscle to atrophy, sleep medication should be seen as a temporary aid for sleep problems and not a long term one.
Other concerns about the use of over-the-counter and prescription sleep medications include:
development of drug tolerance and/or dependence
reduced effectiveness of drug
physical side effects
interactions with other drugs or chemicals in the body
withdrawal symptoms
rebound insomnia
There are obviously some natural ways to help you sleep. Let’s take a look at those non-prescription methods of sleep inducement.
Natural Sleep Aid Quick Tip #1
Valerian Root is the most popular and effective natural herb for treating insomnia. This herb has been used for centuries to cure insomnia without any report on negative side effects. Studies have shown that Valerian has a calming effect which help to combat stress and promote restful sleep. It is safe to be taken long term and unlike other insomnia medication, this herb does not cause addiction and dependence. |
Natural Sleep Aid Quick Tip #2
Anxiety causing you sleepless nights?
Anxiety is probably the most common factor which causes transient insomnia. Taking over-the-counter sleeping medication do not solve the root problem. It might even make you feel worse! Treat anxiety so that you can have a good night sleep and feel refreshed to face the next day. Do you know that simple herbs such as passionflower, lavender and lemon balm are just what you need to overcome anxiety?
Get More Information on PureCalm for Anxiety & Panic Attacks.
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Natural Sleep Aid Quick Tip #3
Self Hypnosis for Insomnia
"It's all in the mind." You know what? Most of the time , this is true. Do you know that many people suffer from insomnia because they believe they can't go to sleep without pills? It is the mind which are playing tricks on them. Overcome insomnia with Hypnotherapy. You can easily re-educate your mind to expect a good night sleep. Self hypnosis helps you to slow down your mind and body so that you can be totally relaxed to fall asleep.
Cure insomnia today with an advanced hypnosis download!
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