Taken over-the-counter sleep aids can help if mild anxiety disrupts your rest. Before making any decisions based on any medication you find available over-the-counter, however, always consult your healthcare provider first.
Lunesta (eszopiclone) is a sedative-hypnotic medication designed to assist adults suffering from insomnia in sleeping more soundly and for an extended period. As with all controlled substances, this drug may cause side effects such as headache, nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, diarrhea or constipation, abdominal pain and headache.
Benadryl
People living with anxiety often struggle with sleep disturbances. Anxiety-inducing thoughts may make it hard to sleep, while sleeping issues exacerbate existing symptoms of anxiety – leading to further difficulty sleeping, which then fuels further worry. Unfortunately, anxiety often has the opposite effect of what it should: less rest equals more worry.
Antihistamine medications available over-the-counter can have sedating effects. Examples include diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and doxylamine (Unisom), both of which can also cause side effects like daytime drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation and urinary retention.
Sleep aids available over-the-counter include melatonin and valerian root supplements. Since they’re not as tightly regulated by the FDA as medications, it is important to read labels and choose products with ingredients you recognize; avoid candy-shaped supplements as these could contain high levels of sugar.
OTC sleep aids are best used as short-term solutions, such as to combat occasional bouts of insomnia or jet lag. For chronic cases of insomnia, consult with your physician regarding alternative therapies – cognitive behavioral therapy may help as well as prescription sleep aids.
Lunesta
Lunesta is a prescription sleep aid medication, designed to aid people in falling asleep more easily. As it works by stimulating GABA receptors in your brain, Lunesta poses minimal risk of misuse or addiction – but over time tolerance will develop, leading to higher doses being required in order to achieve sleep. Unfortunately it also has side effects that include next day grogginess and dizziness – something Lunesta cannot guarantee against.
Eszopiclone belongs to the sedative-hypnotic medication class and is FDA-approved to treat insomnia in adults. With its short duration of action and lack of hangover-like effects or grogginess that other medications cause, this one provides effective insomnia treatment without side effects that other meds cause.
Before trying any over-the-counter sleep aids or supplements, it is advisable to speak to your physician first. They could interact with other drugs or worsen anxiety symptoms; if traditional treatments don’t seem to help your anxiety symptoms either.
Dayvigo
Dayvigo, also known as Lemborexant and only available with valid prescription, is a new sleep medication designed to aid adults suffering from insomnia. It works by blocking a chemical that promotes wakefulness. While available via prescription only, serious side effects could potentially arise and this medication may not be suitable for everyone.
Mild side effects may include nausea, headaches, drowsiness and dizziness; and occasionally temporary sleep paralysis or hallucinations (if these occur call your physician immediately). If any adverse reactions do arise contact your physician immediately
Other adverse reactions associated with taking this drug can include worsening depression and suicidal thoughts or actions, muscle weakness in your legs (cataplexy), and changes to blood flow to the organs (cataplexy).
Dayvigo may increase the risk of psychological dependency or addiction. Therefore, it should not be used by those with an established history of alcohol or substance misuse and elderly adults; alternative sleep medications like Zopiclone may be better suited to treat insomnia.
Ambien
If anxiety prevents you from sleeping soundly, over-the-counter sleep aids may provide assistance in finding restful slumber. Because these medications aren’t subject to FDA regulation as closely as prescription ones, it’s essential that you choose wisely when selecting them. Options available over-the-counter may include antihistamines such as diphenhydramine and doxylamine succinate, melatonin, and valerian root supplements which work by blocking certain receptors that send signals for wakefulness from reaching certain parts of the brain causing them.
Other over-the-counter sleep aids available over-the-counter include zolpidem (Ambien), estazolam (ProSom), and zaleplon (Sonata). These drugs belong to a class known as sedative-hypnotics that reduce brain activity to induce sleep and should only be used on short term as they increase dependence and addiction risks. Benzodiazepines such as alprazolam (Xanax) or diazepam (Valium), reduce anxiety at lower doses but may cause rebound insomnia or withdrawal symptoms in severe cases.