Insomnia Medications
Learn about insomnia medication side effects during pregnancy and depression.
A lot of people experience insomnia so it’s inevitable that there will be insomnia medications in the market.
It can be terribly frustrating for someone who wants to sleep but finds out regrettably that he can’t. He may keep tossing and turning on his bed, trying all sorts of activities to lull his mind but to no avail.
He may even become more stressed if he has something important to do the next day, where he’ll need all the energy that he can get, which is why it’s imperative for him to experience his much-needed rest and sleep.
So what can a person do if he’s at the end of his rope and his insomnia is getting the better of him? Most likely, he’ll turn to insomnia medications – drugs for insomnia – so that he’ll at least manage to sleep when he wants to.
The only trouble is, there are way too many medications for insomnia that it may be hard to choose which one is best for your condition.
Over the counter (OTC) Medications for Insomnia
One of the easiest drugs for insomnia that you can buy is the antihistamine. It may serve as a sleeping aid for those with transient or short-term insomnia. Dipenhydramine is considered safe and effective as a sleeping aid as approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
However, it is entirely possible that you’ll be experiencing drowsiness until the next day.
On the upside, there is no risk that you’ll become dependent on these drugs should you take them regularly although the efficiency of the drug may be impaired as your body develops a certain immunity to the chemicals in them.
Another OTC insomnia drug is Melatonin supplements (Melatonex) that is available as a dietary supplement.
Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate the body’s clock or sleep-wake cycle although the actual mechanism for inducing sleep is currently unknown.
An advantage of taking melatonin is that it does not impair your other functions, unlike antihistamines, which is why it is a good medication for insomnia and jet lag.
Prescription Medication for Insomnia
Benzodiazepines are the older hypnotic drugs for insomnia. They generally allow you to fall asleep faster but you’re at risk of becoming dependent on the drug the longer that you take it. They also have shown to cause you to feel sleepy during the day, because, although you are able to sleep fast, the quality of sleep that you get is poor. Benzodiazepines decrease your deep sleep time so you may end up feeling like you haven’t slept as much as you should. Examples of benzodiazepines are Dalmane, Restoril and ProSom.
The “newer” counterpart of the benzodiazepines are the nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic drugs. You may know these drugs as Lunesta, Sonata or Ambien and they are drugs that dull your brain’s activity so you can sleep. These drugs appear to be improved versions of the benzodiazepines because they do induce sleep as well as provide continuous sleep to the user. They do not disrupt REM sleep though there is a possibility of making you become dependent on them. These drugs are best taken when you’re ready to go to bed. People who are able to sleep for a full night should not be taking these because they can cause grogginess the next day.
What is important to remember is that insomnia cannot be cured. These drugs will only help you to fall asleep, will help you to remain asleep and give you that beauty rest that you’ve been craving. Most of these sedative-hypnotic drugs are also generally used for the treatment of transient insomnia although some of them may be prescribed medication for chronic insomnia.
It is highly recommended that you visit a doctor before self-medicating. Your choice of insomnia medication may react with other drugs that you are taking. Pick only the sedative that you need for your sleep problem. If you have difficulty falling asleep, then pick a quick-acting drug like Ambien that will help you sleep faster but will not make you drowsy the next day. Drugs whose effects last longer are better suited for people who can fall asleep easily but have trouble remaining asleep and are always waking up in the middle of the night.
Keep in mind that taking sleeping pills should be the last resort when treating insomnia. There is a risk of becoming addicted to some of these chemicals and you’ll eventually find it harder to sleep without them. You’re not actually curing your insomnia, yet you’re acquiring a new addiction. Start yourself with natural alternatives and work your way from there. It will also help if you simply stick to a healthy sleeping practice so that your body will be conditioned to sleep as soon as it senses that you’re in the bedroom. Make sure that you take the proper dosage because it’s your life on the line if you make a mistake with your insomnia medications.
I recommend you read my advice on how to buy sleeping pills online and the best sleeping pills.
For more insomnia facts, insomnia information and treatment check the following pages Insomnia and Hypnotherapy, Insomnia and Hypnotherapy, Home Remedies for Insomnia, Natural Remedies for Insomnia, Alcohol Insomnia, Insomnia Symptoms and Diagnosis and best sleeping pills.
