Cellulite Solutions | Beating Allergies | Pregnancy Guide | Back Pain | Sleep Deep

Sleeping Tablets

We've come a long way since the 1960s and 1970s when very strong, incredibly addictive barbiturates were routinely prescribed for insomnia, and stars like Marilyn Monroe and Jimi Hendrix were dying from overdoses of these powerful pills.

Newer pills are gentler and more effective - but are they the best way to solve your sleeping problems?

Experts can't make up their mind about them. Some think they're a good short term measure for insomnia, others think they're not tackling the cause and you risk becoming dependent on them. Like with caffeine or nicotine, you can get physically - as well as psychologically - addicted. You take them every day and get a good night's sleep, but as soon as you stop taking them the sleeplessness returns. Why? You haven't dealt with what's causing your insomnia and you still can't go to sleep on your own. Most doctors prefer giving out antidepressants which they think of as a lower-risk option to help tackle the cause of insomnia.

The sleeping pills your doctor will prescribe work by depressing your brain activity and slowing down brainwaves. They also make you sleep by relieving anxiety and relaxing your muscles. The difference between the various brands is usually the time it takes for the effects to wear off - that is the time it takes the body to break them down and get them out of your system. This can be anything from a few hours to days - the longer they hang around, the more likely you are to feel drowsy or suffer other side effects.

Also, the longer you use sleeping pills, the more your brain gets used to them and the less effective they are. After four to six weeks your sleeping pill will probably be as useful as an extra strong mint. Of course, the answer is not to increase your dose. You need to stop taking them.

Another thing to bear in mind is that sleeping pills don't necessarily give you more sleep - they often give you less, in fact. This is because most new-generation sleeping pills are best at knocking you out and putting you to sleep. They don't tend to last more than four hours so you could still wake up in the night or wake up too early. Sleeping pills increase stage 2, or light sleep, but lessen deep sleep and REM sleep (which is why often you recall dreams much less on sleeping pills). So ironically the quality of your sleep may suffer, too.

There are two types of sleeping pill most commonly prescribed - benzodiazepines such as temazepam, flurazepam and lorazepam which help relax muscles and imidazopyridines and cyclopyrrolones such as zolpidem, salepon and zoplicone which also relax the muscles. They don't last as long as the first type but they're less addictive and you're less likely to feel drowsy in the day. Different sleeping pills have slightly different effects - you may have to try a few before you find one that suits you.


Custom Search