Sleep is essential to overall health, yet getting quality restful rest may be challenging. Many turn to over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids as an aid for falling and staying asleep.
Antihistamines and benzodiazepines, often prescribed to treat colds or allergies, may also aid sleep by helping relieve anxiety or tension. Natural alternatives like melatonin and valerian may also provide assistance.
1. RestRenew
This mixture of organic components consists of vitamin B-6, melatonin, and camomile. This all-natural mixture has been designed to help the body get deeper, more peaceful sleep. Herbs, minerals, and calming vitamins are used in sleep formula. When used as prescribed, Sleep Formula helps lessen anxiety and tension while assisting with falling asleep and staying asleep during the night.
2. Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone produced naturally in our bodies that people use to aid sleep, but this medication should never replace medical advice in cases of long-term insomnia (trouble sleeping through the night) or serious sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea or narcolepsy. Furthermore, taking too much may interfere with other medications being taken simultaneously.
Over-the-counter melatonin products typically come in pill form, such as Nytol, Sominex and Unisom SleepTabs. Each pill typically contains 25 to 50 milligrams of antihistamine diphenhydramine or doxylamine; immediate release pills usually provide immediate effects; time release products require caution as these can interfere with its effects.
Melatonin can be purchased in pharmacies, grocery stores and health food stores throughout the U.S. It is unregulated so there can be no guarantees regarding its quality or safety – however some online sellers have been verified as legitimate by the United States Pharmacopeial Convention.
3. Lunesta
Eszopiclone, commonly referred to by its brand name in the US – Lunesta – is an anti-anxiety medication designed to aid sleep. It works by binding to GABA receptors in the brain and producing sedative effects which induce sleepiness; typically taken before bedtime.
Opioids, certain seizure medicines and muscle relaxers may interact with one another to make you sleepy and slow breathing; opioid medicine, certain seizures drugs and muscle relaxers should all be considered potentially interactions when combined together with this product. It should not be recommended to older adults or people suffering from serious health conditions (including liver issues).
Misusing sleep medications can be extremely dangerous; many users have reported engaging in activities while asleep that they didn’t remember when waking up the following day, such as eating, driving or making phone calls they don’t remember having made. Therefore, only take them at bedtime for as short a period as necessary to achieve restful slumber; otherwise speak with your physician about alternative treatment options – clinically-proven sleep therapy could potentially improve your quality of restful slumber and help decrease dependence on medications altogether.
4. Ambien
There are various prescription sleep medications that work by decreasing brain activity. This includes melatonin receptor agonists like Rozerem (melatonin) and Belsomra (suvorexant); sedative-hypnotics like Ambien (zolpidem), Intermezzo (zolpidem), Lunesta (eszopiclone), Sonata (zaleplon), Valium and Restoril (temazepam). However, long-term use could result in addiction; additionally these drugs could impair driving ability or operating machinery; therefore they should only be taken before bedtime.
Natural supplements and herbal medications can be useful tools in aiding sleep. Some are available over-the-counter; others require a doctor’s prescription. If you suffer from chronic insomnia, speak to your physician to discover which treatment options would be most beneficial to you. Psychotherapy (such as cognitive behavioral therapy ) may also prove helpful; cognitive behavioral therapy in particular has proven useful at improving sleeping patterns while helping manage anxiety; it’s especially effective against mild to moderate anxiety that interferes with restful slumber.