The Sleeping pills deeply , With and without prescription, are nowadays very common in the population. More and more cases of people, who for one reason and another, have a hard time falling asleep.
Daily worries, stress or anxiety are often some of the causes that cause insomnia.
Experts agree that the use of medications to help sleep should be limited in time and controlled by a professional. It is advisable to do so only at specific times and if difficulties to fall asleep persist, you should consult again with the doctor or other professional.
If the reasons for insomnia are the anxiety or the stress Which generate the daily concerns will need to be solved from its base. In many cases, too, it is life habits And sleep.
Having a few hours of full and restful rest is imperative for our physical and mental health. Some of the consequences of insomnia are:
- Irritability
- Stress
- Lack of concentration
- Exhausted
- Difficulty to memorize information
- Migraines Y headache
- Intestinal problems
- Disorientation
Because there are many and varied consequences of lack of sleep or problems to reconcile, there are more and more drugs to help fight them. Below we will outline some of them, their characteristics and contraindications.
Sleeping medications over the counter
In most cases, over-the-counter medications contain antihistamines. This component is used for the treatment of allergies but also induces sleep.
These pills do not create addiction, but the body tolerates them very quickly so if they are used continuously, they stop working. Some of the medicines of this type that are usually used are:
1-Doxylamine
It is used to treat lack of sleep or difficulty maintaining it. It is also indicated for the treatment of cold when combined with other components. Some of the side effects that may appear are:
- Dry mouth, nose, and throat
- Headache
- Agitation and / or nervousness
- Sickness
- Dizziness
2- Diphenhydramine
• This medicine is used to treat insomnia. But it is also indicated for the treatment of allergy symptoms such as tearing, irritation, itching or runny nose. Possible side effects include:
- Dry mouth, nose and / or throat
- Dizziness
- Nausea and / or vomiting
- Headache
- Constipation
- Loss of appetite
- Muscular weakness
- Nervousness and / or agitation
Medications for sleeping with a prescription
These types of drugs are mostly called Hypnotic And are also used Antidepressants . Its main function is to help you fall asleep in less time. In all cases they must be prescribed by a doctor and often create dependency. Some of the most used drugs of this type are:
3- Zolpidem
It is used only for the treatment of insomnia. Its action is to delay the activity of the brain To facilitate sleep. This medicine may have multiple side effects, including:
- Exhausted
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Sickness
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Gases
- Heartburn
- Pain and / or tenderness in the stomach
- Changes in appetite
- Tremors in certain parts of the body
- Pain, tingling, or burning in the hands, feet, arms, and / or legs
- Redness, burning or tingling in the tongue
- Buzz, pain, or burning in the ears
- Pain in the joints, back or neck
- More heavy menstrual bleeding than usual
- Difficulty breathing and / or swallowing
- Swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Hoarseness
- Chest pain
- Severe palpitations
- Blurred vision or other vision problems
4- Ramelteon
• This medicine is only used to help you sleep better or maintain sleep. Act as the Melatonin , Natural substance of the brain essential to sleep. Some of the side effects it can cause are:
- Exhausted
- Dizziness
- Swelling of the tongue or throat
- Nausea and / or vomiting
- Irregularity or irruption of menstruation
- Decreased sexual desire
- Fertility problems
5- Zaleplon
• This medicine is used to help you fall asleep. But it will not increase sleep time or decrease the number of times the person wakes up at night. Its action slows down brain activity which facilitates sleep. Possible side effects include:
- Excessive drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Daze
- Loss of appetite
- Tingling or numbness in the hands and / or feet
- Lack of coordination
- Excessive noise sensitivity
- Headache
- Vision problems
- Eye pain
- Painful menstrual periods
- Increased sensitivity to odors
- Skin rash
- Urticaria
- Swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, and / or eyes
- Difficulty swallowing and / or breathing
- Hoarsely
6- Eszopiclone
It is used only in the treatment of insomnia. Like two of those mentioned above, its function is to slow the activity of the brain to facilitate sleep. Among the side effects that may appear after your intake are:
- Generalized pain
- Headaches
- Excessive sleepiness during the day
- Nausea and / or vomiting
- Daze
- Dizziness
- Heartburn
- Bad mouth taste
- Lack of coordination of movements
- Dry mouth
- Decreased sexual desire
- Painful menstrual periods
- Growth of the breasts in the man
- Skin rash
- Urticaria
- Feeling that the throat is closing. Difficulty to swallow
- Swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, throat, feet, and / or ankles
- Hoarsely
7- Doxepin
This medication belongs to so-called tricyclic antidepressants and is indicated for the treatment of depression and anxiety. But taken in small amounts it is also used to treat insomnia. Among the side effects that can cause its consumption we find:
- Sickness
- Excessive drowsiness
- Excessive weakness or tiredness
- Disturbing dreams, nightmares
- Dry mouth
- Constipation
- Excessively sun sensitive skin
- Difficulty urinating and / or frequent urges to do so
- Blurry vision
- Loss of sexual desire
- Excessive sweating
- Muscle spasms in certain areas of the body (especially the jaw, neck, or back)
- Fever
- Difficulty breathing and / or swallowing
- Irregular heartbeat
- Rash
- Yellowing of the skin and / or eyes
8- Trimipramine
Like the above, it belongs to the group of medicines called tricyclic antidepressants. It is used for the treatment of depression but in small amounts it is prescribed to help you fall asleep. Some of the side effects you may experience are:
- Nausea and / or vomiting.
- Diarrhea
- Stomach ache
- Excessive drowsiness
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Excitement or nervousness
- Excessive weakness or tiredness
- Difficulty urinating
- Constipation
- Dry mouth
- Headache
- Disturbing dreams, nightmares
- Difficulty urinating or frequent urination
- Blurry vision
- Excessive sweating
- Ringing in the ears
- Pain, burning or tingling in the hands or feet
- Muscle spasms in some areas of the body
- Difficulty speaking
- Difficulty breathing and / or swallowing
- Convulsive crisis
- Irregular heartbeat or palpitations
- Chest pain
- Skin rash
9- Mirtazapine
Like the previous medications, it belongs to the group of antidepressants. Its usual use is for the treatment of depression but it can also help to sleep. Among the side effects that can derive from its consumption we find:
- Excessive drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Anxiety or nervousness
- Nausea and / or vomiting
- Confusion
- Dry mouth
- Increased weight and appetite
- Chest pain
- Fever and / or chills
- Sore throat
- Wounds in the mouth
- Convulsive crisis
- Speed faster than usual
10-Trazodone
This medicine is also among the antidepressants. Its action is to regulate the levels of Serotonin In the brain, the hormone responsible for inducing sleep. Its consumption can cause different side effects. These include:
- Headache
- Nausea and / or vomiting
- Bad mouth taste
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Nervousness or agitation
- Changes in appetite
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Feeling of instability when walking
- Reduced ability to concentrate or withhold information
- Confusion
- Disturbing dreams, nightmares
- Generalized muscle pain
- Blurry vision
- Excessive sweating
- Skin rash
- Numbness or burning of legs, feet, arms and / or hands
- Ringing in the ears
- Tired, red or itchy eyes
- Lack of coordination in movements
- Chest pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Seizures
- Fainting
- Unusual bleeding or bruising
- Loss of consciousness
- Prolonged or painful erections in the case of men
In the case of prescription medications, it is important to keep in mind that most of them cause dependence. Some indications to follow with this type of medication are:
- Always take them under prescription and medical supervision.
- Do not take them longer than indicated by the professional. If insomnia persists, it is advisable to consult again with the doctor but not to continue the treatment on our own.
- Do not stop treatment abruptly as symptoms of withdrawal may appear and cause discomfort in addition to increasing the difficulty of falling asleep.
- Do not mix the intake of these medicines with others that can also cause drowsiness.
- Call your health care provider right away if any of the side effects occur that may occur with these medicines.
Natural products to help sleep
Research in this field has increased in recent years. Some natural products seem to have the same benefits as medicines but without the side effects.
Although the studies have yielded positive data in this respect, it is necessary to continue research in this field. Some of the most used natural products are:
11- Tryptophan
It is an amino acid precursor of serotonin, a substance needed to sleep. This component can be taken as a supplement but can also be increased by c Food consumption Such as turkey, milk or brown rice.
12- Valerian
It is one of the products most used to reduce anxiety, nervousness and / or sleep. Taken in high doses to produce a number of side effects such as:
- Sickness
- Headache
- Extreme weakness
- Paralysis
It is considered that ingested at the recommended doses is a safe herb and does not have to produce side effects.
Passion flower or Passiflora
This herb was already used by the Aztecs because it is a powerful sedative and sedative. These effects contribute to induce sleep. It is one of the most used natural methods since it has no side effects and its use is valid for both adults and children. Helps reduce stress and stress.
The only contraindication is that high doses may cause excessive drowsiness.
13- Melatonin
One of the natural forms of sleep that has spread over the last few years is the taking of melatonin as a dietary supplement. It is a hormone that secretes the Pineal gland And one of its functions is to regulate the biological clock.
When the amount of melatonin increases at night it induces us to sleep, and when the amount of melatonin decreases it makes us wake up in the morning.
But many experts are warning of the danger of this use. It is possible that with continued consumption our body detects that it is not necessary for it to continue to produce this hormone since we ingest it artificially. And this way we can be causing hormonal disorders in our body that affect us on a physical and mental level.
In any case, it is always advisable to consult with a doctor or health professional to help you find the causes that are causing insomnia and thus address the root problem. It is also always advisable to maintain a healthy lifestyle, a balanced diet and physical exercise helps to rest fully and at night.
References:
- Chokroverty S, Avidan AY. (2016) Sleep and its disorders. Philadelphia.
- Krystal AD. (2017) Pharmacologic treatment of insomnia: other medications. Philadelphia.
- Walsh JK, Roth T. (2017) Pharmacologic treatment of insomnia: benzodiazepine receptor agnosists. Philadelphia.