Insomnia Medications

what you need to know

Did you know that approximately 25% of Americans take insomnia medications every year? That's a lot of people!

Sleeping pills or sleep aids of one sort or another have been in use since the beginning of the 1900's, so they're not anything new. And even before that people were using natural or herbal sleep remedies to help them get their full 8 hours.

The difference today is that there is a much wider range of insomnia medications for us to choose from, and if you can't fall asleep, wake several times in the night, or wake up at 4am and can't get back to sleep, maybe one of the insomnia drugs available today can get you back on track.

Are insomnia medications right for me?

However, some people (even doctors) still believe that the majority of these medications produce nasty side effects or are highly addictive.

Older insomnia drugs, such as barbiturates (eg Seconal, Amytal or Nembutal) are rarely used today for exactly those reasons. But, todays' newer medications are much safer and have fewer side effects. Many of them have also proven to be much less addictive than the older style meds.

Here's a quick explanation of the four main classes of drugs used to treat insomnia -

• Benzodiazepine Hypnotics (BRA's)
  These are a group of very effective insomnia medications, but their drawbacks include the fact that they are often heavily sedating and can be inclined to be addictive. Examples of this type of medication are Ativan, Xanax and Halcion


• Non-Benzodiazepines
  This is a newer class of drugs designed to treat insomnia. They are less sedating than BRA's and, when used correctly, are not as liable to cause dependency or addiction. These include the well-know Ambien, Sonata and Lunesta


• Anti-depressants
  Although normally used to treat depression/anxiety, these medications can have a sedating effect. They are especially useful in cases where the insomnia is a symptom of depression. These drugs can be additctive though and have a higher risk of overdose than the medications in some of the other categories. Examples include Aventyl, Desyrel, Paxil and even Valium.


• OTC Sleep Aids
  The active ingredient in most over the counter sleeping medications is an anti-histamine. These drugs can cause drowsiness (think what happens when you take Benadryl or Dramamine), but they do tend to have unwanted side effects. Some examples are Nytol, Sominex, Unisom or Sleep-Eze

Treating Insomnia

If you are consistently having trouble sleeping, it's a good idea to make a visit to your doctor. An accurate and professional diagnosis is the first step towards reclaiming your peaceful nights.

From simple things like improving your sleep hygiene (hint: this may not mean what you think it does!), trying natural insomnia remedies, like aromatherapy or Melatonin, to learning relaxation techniques, there's something for everyone.

Even something as simple as changing your bedtime routine or cutting down on caffeine, or taking a closer look at your diet (see Sleep Inducing Foods for more on this) can make a huge difference.

So, take heart! With help from your doctor, and the correct treatment plan, your insomnia will soon be history..... and your waking hours will be so much more enjoyable!

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