There are many
instances in which behavioral and environmental changes aren't
effective at treating or curing insomnia. There are also times when
insomnia sufferers simply don't wish to try these other types of
treatments and cures. Fortunately for those individuals, several
effective sleep aids and medications are available.
If taken correctly and only as needed for short periods of time,
prescription medications need not cause any problems with addiction.
That's good news especially since sleep medications are the most common
treatment for insomnia.
Medications to treat insomnia are available by prescription and
over-the counter. To obtain a prescription, you of course need to be
under the care of a physician. This is actually wise since effective
treatment begins with a firm diagnosis and an identification of any
underlying causes
of insomnia. For example, if insomnia turns out to
be a symptom of depression or anxiety, the patient will fare better
when given a prescription designed to treat depression or anxiety
rather than the sleep disorder.
When insomnia is identified as purely a sleep issue, however, the most
effective sleep aids for promoting sleep are called hypnotics.
The two main goals of hypnotics are to induce sleep faster and then
maintain it for a longer period, resulting in better quality sleep.
There are half-life
hypnotics and full-life.
Half-life hypnotics are designed to stay in the system only half the
amount of the time as full-life so they won't interfere with daytime
activities. Hypnotics vary by dosage, too. They're most effective when
taken for short durations and when their use is decreased over a period
of time rather than all at once.
Antihistamines
are the most common form of over-the-counter (OTC) sleeping
aid.
Although
antihistamines are designed to block the chemicals that the body
releases during an allergic outbreak, they also generally have the
ability to calm which makes them effective at encouraging sleep.
However, this is a point of considerable debate. Some OTC sleep aids
contain pain relievers and even if they don't, OTC sleep aids should
never be taken with alcohol. Even though they're available without a
prescription, it's still advisable to consult with a medical
professional before taking any type of sleep aid.
A melatonin supplement can
be another effective sleep aid that can help in dealing with
insomnia. Melatonin is a naturally-occurring hormone the body produces
as day turns into night. Melatonin helps the body prepare for sleep by
lowering body temperature and triggering other changes inside the body.
Care must be taken when supplementing melatonin because there is always
a risk of over-supplementation (ingesting more than the body needs to
work effectively). In addition, nutritional supplements such as
melatonin lack the stringent testing and reporting requirements that
govern prescription medications so side effects and long-term effects
may not be fully understood.
Some claim that herbal sleep remedies including
St. John's Wort, valerian root, chamomile and lemon balm are effective
at reducing instances of insomnia, but like nutritional supplements,
there are no regulations requiring the generation of reports and/or
studies to back up these claims or document the benefits or
disadvantages of long-term usage.
