Sedatives
If you’ve tried some of the techniques listed in “causes of insomnia”, you may be interested in learning more about some of the insomnia drugs for your sleeplesness.
The National Sleep foundation suggests these guidlines for taking insomnia medications:
* begin with the lowest possible effective dose
* be short-term, if used nightly
* be intermittent, if used long-term
* be used only in combination with good sleep practices and/or behavioral approaches
Insomnia Medications
Insomnia medications are either prescribed by your doctor or available as non-prescription over-the-counter varieties. There is a risk of dependency when taking prescription drugs, which is one of the major drawbacks.
Sedatives
There are 4 newer medications to treat insomnia which have been developed in the last 10 years. Sedatives should only be taken if you have an 8 hour span where you can sleep uninterrupted.
Ambien IR and Ambien CR- Ambien IR works very quickly; so use Ambien right before going to sleep. Abmien CR on the other hand is a controlled release and claims to help you sleep longer.One of the drawbacks with the CR formula is that some people have complained that it did not help them get to sleep.
Lunesta – Lunesta is a non-narcotic which seems to work very quickly. Studies show on average it only takes 30 minutes to fall asleep. Lunesta helps you fall asleep and stay asleep.
Rozerem – Ramelteon is used is used for delayed sleep onset. According to their press releases, Ramelteon is a new class of drug which has been shown not to produce dependence or shown the potential for abuse.
Sonata – Sonata has been shown to decrease the time it takes to get to sleep by 30 minutes. It can be taken before bed or after going to bed if you can’t fall asleep. However, Sonata may cause a severe allergic reaction.
Are the newer sedatives more effective than the older ones? The verdict is still out. But these newer insomnia medication generally tend to be more expensive than older prescription sedatives sucha as ProSom, Dalmane and Restoril.
Non-presciption Medications
There are many ways to beat insomnia without prescription drugs. Some like to try natural remedies or herbal remedies, but here are some insomnia medications for those who like the convenience of over the counter insomnia medications:
Ambiatol – Ambiatol is a sleep aid supplement containing powerful ingredients to promote restless sleep.
Rest Aid – Rest Aid continas a patented milk peptide proven to break down natural stimulants which cause insomnia.
Sleep Once Again – Sleep Once Again is for those who do not like taking pills. This blend of natural ingredients is available in melt in your mouth strips.
Antihistamines – Non-prescription drugs containing antihistamines such as Benadryl, Nytol, and Tylenol PM, and will also make you sleepy, but are not recommended solely for insomnia.
Before taking any of these medications, be sure to ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use prescription and non-prescription drugs. As in all medical related cases, discuss your problems with your doctor before you try any medications.