HWN Suggests

I can’t sleep. What drugs can I (safely) take?

If you’re having trouble sleeping, medicines shouldn’t be your first option. Exercise regularly, cut back on coffee (and other caffeinated drinks) after midday, eat less in the evening, ease up on “screen time” before, and in, bed, practise meditation and try to have a quiet, dark bedroom dedicated mostly to sleep.

But what if you’ve tried everything and are still struggling with sleep? Many people will want to turn to a medicine for help. Navigating the various options for effectiveness, safety and the potential to become habit-forming can be difficult.

Long-term regular use of medicines to promote sleep should be avoided, as initial effectiveness declines rapidly over…

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 Are Sleeping Pills Safe? Here's What Research Says

Sleeping pills have well-documented side effects...

 Can’t Get to Sleep? Lay Off the Drugs

It’s easy to get into the habit of popping a pill to have a good night’s sleep. Insomnia, which affects a third of adults, becomes more common as we age. But as evidence has mounted about the risks of drugging the brain to induce or maintain slumber, more doctors are steering patients away from sleep aids, including over-the-counter medications, and are offering innovative behavioral-change solutions.

 FDA: Here Are The New Warnings About Sleeping Pills Like Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata

Sleepwalking, sleep-driving, and sleep-using-a-stove are not things that you want to do. Therefore, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday announced that eszopiclone, zaleplon, and zolpidem will now have to include "boxed warnings" of such possible side effects.

 Getting a Good Night’s Sleep Without Drugs

Alternatives to prescription drugs for insomnia offer better, safer and more long-lasting solutions, experts say.

 Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Take a Sleeping Pill Every Night

There’s still a time and place for prescription and OTC sleep aids. If you’re very stressed and need help nodding off the night before an important work or social event, these pills can be a big help. But if you’re taking them all the time—and especially if you’re older than 65—the risks these pills pose likely outweigh their benefits.

 I Road-Tested 5 Sleep Drugs to Cure My Insomnia

Yes, I’ve tried exercising more, cutting out screen time before bed, eating at more regular times, waking up more consistently, and all those other things people suggest. But anyone who has tried to make major lifestyle changes will tell you it’s hard, and between that and continuing lack of sleep I was miserable. So I decided to road test some sleeping pills instead—from over-the-counter supplements to heavy prescription meds—to see if one, or a combination of several, might help me get a reasonable night’s sleep.

 Sorry Insomniacs, Your Sleeping Pills are Killing You

Sleeping pills might actually be worse for you than not sleeping. A recent study published in the online journal BMJ Open suggests that even moderate consumption of sleeping pills can increase mortality 3-4 times. If the considerable health risks aren’t enough to scare you off, consider this: Sleeping pills don’t even work very well. Most natural insomnia treatment alternatives have proven more effective.

Articles of Interest

A word about prescription sleep aids

Prescription sleep medications are powerful drugs that work on different parts of the brain. Benzodiazepines like lorazepam (Ativan) and temazepam (Restoril) target gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a brain chemical that reduces nerve activity and promotes sleep. These medications can be habit forming, may cause daytime sleepiness, and may be associated with dementia. Nonbenzodiazepines — such as zolpidem (Ambien) and eszopiclone (Lunesta) — also work on GABA, but they leave the body faster and have fewer side effects, allowing for regular waking and daytime functioning the next day. However, they still increase the risk for sleepwalking and daytime sleepiness, which can lead to falls and injury. Melatonin-receptor agonists such as ramelteon (Rozerem) target melatonin receptors in the brain. They leave the body quickly and are not thought to be habit forming.

Ambien: The Good, the Bad, the Reality

New reports link the sleep medication to a spate of E.R. visits for hallucinations, agitation, and sleep-walking, among other complaints. But it also helps a lot of people. What's to know?

Americans Are Getting Worse at Taking Sleeping Pills

The number of emergency-room visits related to prescription sleep aids has doubled in recent years, according to a new study.

Can’t Get to Sleep? Lay Off the Drugs

It’s easy to get into the habit of popping a pill to have a good night’s sleep. Insomnia, which affects a third of adults, becomes more common as we age. But as evidence has mounted about the risks of drugging the brain to induce or maintain slumber, more doctors are steering patients away from sleep aids, including over-the-counter medications, and are offering innovative behavioral-change solutions.

Cool, This Sleeping Pill Helps You Fall Asleep a Whole 6 Minutes Faster

Sleep aids are a booming pharmaceutical niche sector that boasts memorable jingles and some of the most popular drug names around...

Do Sleep Medications Increase Your Chances of Dementia?

A new study shows that sleep medications increase the risk of dementia for people who are white. But the type and quantity of the medication may be factors in explaining the higher risk. It follows previous work that shows people who are Black have a higher likelihood than people who are white of developing Alzheimer’s, the most common type of dementia, and that they have different risk factors and disease manifestations.

Do Sleeping Pills Undermine Sleep’s Memory-Boosting Power?

The best long-term strategy is to develop a strong, sustainable sleep routine that does not rely on prescription sleep medication. There’s no question this takes work, but the rewards are worth it. Your sleep, your overall health — and perhaps your memory — will be better for it.

Explainer: what is Seroquel and should you take it for insomnia?

Doctors prescribe quetiapine off-label for various conditions, including anxiety, autism, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse and obsessive compulsive disorder. It is also increasingly prescribed off-label for insomnia, usually at lower doses of 100mg or less a day. But the evidence so far suggests the risks of prescribing quetiapine off-label outweigh any benefits.

FDA halves recommended Lunesta dose, warns effects can persist into next day

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cited data showing that a person may be less alert and do things such as driving less safely the day after taking Lunesta.

Good Snooze for Insomniacs--Therapy Is as Effective as Sleep Drugs

A review of studies on the treatment of chronic insomnia finds that cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective alternative to drug interventions.

I Used Myself as a Guinea Pig for 8 Alternative Sleep Aids

Prescription sleeping pills may be popular, but they can be dicey—the tales of side effects for drugs like Ambien and Halcion are legendary. This has led many to explore herbs, natural remedies, and over-the-counter products that, in theory, have fewer ill effects. But do they work?

Pharma Watch: A User's Guide to Sleeping Pills

A new pill adds to the choices but behavioral therapy can be a better option for some.

Propofol, The New Illicit Prescription Drug

It took a high profile case such as the death of Michael Jackson to bring worldwide attention to the misuse and dangers of Propofol. Access and availability should be restricted, a move than will save lives.

Quaalude Nostalgia: A Retro Drug That Everyone Remembers Fondly

Sleeping pills were a dime a dozen, and even if you had a preference for Quaalude, well, until 1973 Quaalude was, if not a dime a dozen, at least easy to come by, and probably not much harder for a decade or so afterward.

Sleeping Pills Are Not the Answer to Insomnia

The benefits of sleeping pills are very tiny and the side effects are significant," says Dr. Murray. Rather than reaching for a pill, you would be better off addressing the underlying cause of the insomnia and using non-drug treatments to improve your sleep.

The Best Medication for Insomnia: Ambien, Sonata, or Lunesta?

These three medications are all so-called “z-drugs”: Non-benzodiazepines that calm the brain and induce sleep by inducing a sort of hypnotic effect. They’re considered safer to use than the benzodiazepine drugs, which have a higher risk of dependence and overdose. How effective are these sleep drugs, anyway, and who do they work for best? It’s a straightforward enough question. But answering it isn’t so simple.

The Big Sleep

Insomnia drugs like Ambien are notorious for their side effects. Has Merck created a blockbuster replacement?

The Case for Sleep Medicine

Oh no, I groaned, reading the headlines, not another scare story about sleeping pills. As a lifelong insomniac who has extensively researched the topic, I find such stories alarming — but not because of the information they present. Rather, I’m afraid that they will cause doctors to stop prescribing these medications to people who need them.

The Evidence Points to a Better Way to Fight Insomnia

For me, and many patients, C.B.T. works. And as studies show, it works better than drugs. That moment with my children, a couple of years ago, was the last time I fell asleep reading to them.

The Trouble With Sleep Aids

Not all sleep medications are the same. Here’s how to find one that works for you.

What Are the Side Effects of Prescription Sleeping Pills?

Side effects have bedeviled prescription sleep medications since scientists began tinkering in their labs more than a century ago.

What You Need to Know About Sleeping Pills

A guide to the different types of medications for treating insomnia, their risks and when experts recommend using them.

Who Is Taking Sleeping Pills?

There is a great deal we don’t yet know about long-term risks and complications of these newer sleep medications. We are also just beginning to get a sense of how frequently they are being used by adults in the U.S.

Resources

Ambien

AMBIEN (zolpidem tartrate) is indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia characterized by difficulties with sleep initiation. AMBIEN has been shown to decrease sleep latency for up to 35 days in controlled clinical studies...

Lunesta

LUNESTA ® (eszopiclone) is indicated for the treatment of insomnia. In controlled outpatient and sleep laboratory studies, LUNESTA administered at bedtime decreased sleep latency and improved sleep maintenance.

Sonata

Sonata is indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia. Sonata has been shown to decrease the time to sleep onset for up to 30 days in controlled clinical studies. It has not been shown to increase total sleep time or decrease the number of awakenings.