… But are sleep aids and prescribed drugs hurting or helping?
Sleep is important for good health and lack of it may result in heart disease, hypertension, stroke, weight gain and diabetes. Yet 22 percent of Americans struggle with insomnia every night, and other people age 65 and older are one and a half times more more likely to struggle with the condition, based on the National Sleep Foundation.
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How do benzodiazepines work? Benzodiazepines bind to GABA receptors, and so they enhance the calming effects of GABA. 
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Sleeping pills
A chief suspect that may rob you of sleep is something that's alleged to promote rest: prescription sleep aids. “You get the benefits quickly, but if you use them long-term you get used to them, they're less effective and can interfere with sleep,” explains Dr. Epstein.
Sleep medications, called sedative-hypnotics, are available three forms:
BenzodiazepinesDrugs corresponding to alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), and temazepam (Restoril) affect a chemical within the brain (gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA) that reduces nerve activity and induces sleep. Promotes. These can turn out to be habit forming and cause daytime sleepiness.
Non-benzodiazepinescorresponding to eszopiclone (Lonista), zaleplon (Sonata), and zolpidem (Ambion), also goal GABA, but leave the body faster and have fewer unwanted effects, which may result in regular waking and daytime sleepiness the following day. Allow time to work.
Melatonin receptor agonists Like ramelteon (Rozerem), it also leaves the body quickly. They goal melatonin receptors within the brain and are considered non-habit forming.
All three kinds of hypnotics are intended for short-term use, about two weeks, but Dr. Epstein says he often sees patients who've been using these drugs for years. “Some people find it easier to take pills than try other methods to treat insomnia, and many physicians keep prescribing them because they're not trained in sleep medicine or because they don't want their patients to take it right away. But feel the pressure to help sleep.” Some patients require long-term treatment, but it surely is best to take these drugs for the shortest possible time.
Unfortunately, long-term use of sleeping pills carries risks. You can develop a tolerance to the drug: the drug loses its punch with repeated use, so it's essential increase the dose. Many also cause daytime sleepiness. Long-term use can even cause strange behaviors when the brain continues to be asleep: walking, eating an excessive amount of, or taking the automobile out for a drive. In addition to increasing the danger of injury, these behaviors can result in tiredness the following day, reducing the period of time you spend in deep, restful sleep.
Prescription intervention
Various other prescription medications can even disrupt sleep. Some medications can wake you up with nausea, night sweats, or the necessity to go to the lavatory. Stimulants in prescription medications can even cause poor quality sleep or insomnia. Prescription drugs with stimulant effects include steroids, antidepressants, and medications for migraines, heart disease, hypertension, and allergies. Many over-the-counter decongestants and weight reduction medications contain stimulants.
How to recover sleep
If you observed that a prescription drug for a chronic condition is disrupting your sleep, seek advice from your doctor. In many cases, the answer is a matter of adjusting the style of medicine you are taking, the time of day you are taking it, or the dose. Do not stop taking your medicine without first talking to your doctor. In some cases, adjustments don't help. When that happens, Dr. Epstein says, the drug's advantages in controlling the condition for which it was prescribed should be weighed against its effects in disrupting sleep.
If you've been taking a prescription sleep medication for a very long time and aren't sleeping well, Dr. Epstein says it's time to search for an alternate treatment. He's not a fan of supplements just like the hormone melatonin or the herb valerian root. They say there's little evidence that they assist. He recommends behavioral therapy with the assistance of a sleep specialist or psychologist.
One behavioral therapy is sleep restriction, which is a solution to induce more stable sleep by actually reducing the period of time spent in bed. Another approach is stimulus control, which alters associations with sleep to vary sleep behavior. You can improve your sleep hygiene by taking a look at your sleeping habits and environment. Finally, there's cognitive therapy, which teaches you to regulate your thoughts or anxiety about sleep to vary your behavior.
Sometimes a mix of sleep therapy and a gradual reduction in sleep medication is effective. But don't stop taking sleeping pills on your personal. Enlist your doctor's help for instructions and to watch for withdrawal symptoms. Be aware that any time you make a dietary change, your sleep shall be affected for several days, so consider making the change over the weekend.
And above all, be patient, even at 3:30 within the morning. “Insomnia and chronic sleep problems can be cured,” says Dr. Epstein.