{"id":3803,"date":"2019-12-09T16:17:26","date_gmt":"2019-12-09T15:17:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/disturbmenot.co\/?p=3803"},"modified":"2020-06-05T01:02:19","modified_gmt":"2020-06-04T23:02:19","slug":"prescription-sleeping-pills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disturbmenot.co\/prescription-sleeping-pills\/","title":{"rendered":"Prescription Sleeping Pills: What You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

Seeking ways to ensure a good night\u2019s sleep has been humanity\u2019s quest since the dawn of civilization. Ancient physicians used a variety of <\/span>natural sleep remedies<\/span> to calm their patients and ease their restless nights. The tranquilizing and hypnotic effects of roots, leaves, fruits, and other extracts have been used for millennia. In time, their therapeutic potential was carefully perfected.<\/span><\/p>\n

The expansion of pharmaceutical research in the 20th century gave birth to many fascinating sleep aids\u2014some are even still in use today. According to the <\/span>CDC<\/span><\/a>, about 4% of the US adult population uses <\/span>prescription sleeping pills<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sleep medications<\/span><\/a> are used for acute and chronic insomnia, helping people both fall asleep and stay asleep. Several drug classes are prescribed today. They\u2019re classified based on their chemistry, how they affect the body, their strength, and how long they last. They all act on different levels of the central nervous system (CNS) and can produce serious <\/span>side effects<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The main <\/span>controversy<\/span><\/a> regarding sleep medication is simple: there\u2019s a very thin line between them being your best friend or your worst enemy. In some cases, one sleeping pill will spare you the trouble of late-night sheet creasing and make your next day much easier. In others, patients tend to develop high tolerance levels, which lead to overuse and addiction. Therefore, control mechanisms need to be in place when prescribing, dispensing, or using <\/span>prescription medication for sleep<\/span> disorders.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Pharmacy\u2019s Promise of a Good Night\u2019s Rest<\/b><\/h2>\n

There are many substances that can affect sleep, and not all of them are originally sleeping pills. As long as the main acting compound can travel through the blood-brain barrier and mediate an inhibitory neuronal signal, it should affect a patient\u2019s state of wakefulness.<\/span><\/p>\n

A pharmacy will have a variety of sleep aids that can be natural or synthetic in origin. <\/span>Natural sleep aids<\/span> come as liquid extracts or in solid dosage forms, such as tablets, capsules, or powders. Valerian root, lemon balm leaves, passiflora flower, and hop plant have been commonly used as tranquilizers, but in stronger doses could be used as sleep remedies. They can be acquired without a prescription and are used to treat patients with mild difficulty falling asleep.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Most recommended <\/span>non-prescription sleeping pills<\/span> are first-generation antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine and doxylamine. In low doses, they quickly induce drowsiness, and in higher doses can cause sedation, making it easier to fall asleep. However, in most cases, they don\u2019t ensure a prolonged duration of sleep nor do they necessarily produce a high quality of sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the other hand, some over-the-counter medications out there can be used to treat both sleep duration and quality of sleep. <\/span>Melatonin<\/span><\/a> effectively treats non-organic sleep disorders. Fast-acting melatonin is more popular than the common, slow-acting option. <\/span>Studies<\/span><\/a> have shown that oral sprays are twice as effective as regular tablets. Plus, with <\/span>melatonin,<\/span> the <\/span>side effects<\/span> are rare and temporary. They include daytime drowsiness, feelings of depression, irritability, and headache.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is <\/b>Prescription Sleep Medication<\/b>?<\/b><\/h2>\n

As a rule, prescription drugs are more efficient than <\/span>over the counter sleep aids<\/span>. To be more specific, hypnotics are medications used in the treatment of sleeplessness that are both efficient in inducing sleep and prolonging the duration of sleep. They\u2019re related to sedatives but are technically high-potency psychoactive drugs. They represent the <\/span>most effective <\/span>type of <\/span>prescription sleep aid<\/span> and are used in the treatment of mild, moderate, and severe insomnia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, they carry a high risk of dependency and abuse and are potentially life threatening. Therefore, their dispensing regime is <\/span>prescription only. <\/b>This means sedative-hypnotics can\u2019t be bought without a prescription, and they can\u2019t be prescribed without a medical examination.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Do Doctors Prescribe for Sleeping Problems?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Sleeping problems can occur for a variety of reasons. Primary insomnia is usually caused by psychological stress, due to trauma or socio-behavioral problems. It can also be induced by questionable lifestyle choices, such as excessive caffeine intake, smoking, overeating, and <\/span>alcohol<\/span><\/a> consumption. Secondary insomnia usually follows another pathology, such as neurological and psychiatric disorders, hyperthyroidism, or menopause.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a result, there are a few different options among the more commonly <\/span>prescribed sleep meds<\/span>. Depending on the cause, a doctor will prescribe sleep medication from a <\/span>diverse group of pharmaceuticals<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Sedative-Hypnotics<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n