Sleep Aids

There are many types of sleep aids. From the natural sleep aids like melatonin, to over-the-counter medicine and prescription medication that you can get at a pharmacy. Since every situation and every person is unique, finding the right sleep aid is something that you should do with the help of your physician.

Melatonin is a hormone which is sold over the counter and which some people have used to help them fall asleep. We know that Melatonin may have some use in regulating normal sleep rhythms, but its specific use to induce sleep in people with insomnia is not proven.

Over-the-counter medications, which you can buy without a prescription, most often sedate through the use antihistamines. Although these sleep aids can help get you to sleep, they do not contain ingredients to keep you asleep, and often result in making you feel sleepy in the morning. They are typically not intended for long-term use.

We know that many of the new prescription medications are among the newest class of sleep medicines known as non-benzodiazepines, which the FDA has approved as effective and safe. Some of these formulations help patients get to sleep and stay asleep throughout the night. Over time there is also less evidence of tolerance indicating that they are effective with long-term use; and though they are safe they all carry some risk of dependency.

Becoming dependent on sleep medication is something that doctors have often warned patients about in the past. However, these days, sleep specialists realize that having a sleep disorder can be a chronic condition, which can last years. So finding a long-term treatment including the longer-term use of sleep medications can be a solution. Just like we use anti-hypertensive medicines for high blood pressure over the long term, it may be appropriate and safe to use sleep medicines for six months or longer.

If you are one of the many people who have insomnia, talk to your doctor. Sleep disorders can be a chronic condition. And many people may need to use prescription medicines over longer periods because their insomnia actually persists. But, just because their insomnia persists does not necessarily mean that they've become dependent on the medication. Rather, they simply need the medication in order to sleep, and sleep well over longer periods. Insomnia is often a chronic condition that needs a chronic treatment.