Sleeping tablets and why they might not be the answer to your sleep problems
When you have insomnia you will give anything a go for a good night’s sleep and that normally includes sleeping tablets. In this post I’ll go through the 5 main options for medication for insomnia along with the pros and cons which you can weigh up with your healthcare professional to decide if they’re right for you.
Herbal remedies
Before most people call their GP to seek sleeping tablets they will try herbal remedies. The main herbal remedies marketed towards insomnia contain camomile, lavender or valerian. These can take the form of essential oils, teas or tablets. Do they work though? Unfortunately as with a lot of herbal medicine there isn’t a huge base of evidence to say either way. However, f you are considering herbal supplements to help you sleep I highly recommend looking at the Charity Mind’s website which I will link below (1) to ensure you are making the safest choice.
Z drugs
Z drugs come in the form of Zopiclone and Zolpidem in the UK. They are used for severe insomnia when other non-medication options have been tried such as improving your sleep hygiene (see previous blog posts on this). They should be prescribed short term for 3-7 days and are not suitable for long term use due to their addictive nature and how quickly the body builds tolerance to it. (2)
Anti-histamines
Anti-histamines which cause drowsiness can also be used for short term insomnia. This usually comes in the form of tablet called Promethazine. Again when you take these drugs your body builds tolerance to it quickly so it is not recommended to take more than 2 days consecutively (2).
Melatonin
Prolonged release melatonin is licensed for use in the over 55s for prescribing in primary care. It is also commonly used in children with behavioural or developmental difficulties but their prescriptions would normally come from a specialist. It contains the natural hormone melatonin which helps to reset our sleep cycle also known as the circadian rhythm. It is trialled for 3 months before assessing whether to continue or take a break (2).
Daridoxidant
Daridoxidant is a tablet licensed for chronic insomnia when all other methods have been tried including a referral for cognitive behavioural therapy (a form of counselling). It is given for up to 3 months at a time before assessing the need to continue (2).
While medication may have its place in treating insomnia we always need to consider the drawbacks. Most drugs which treat insomnia will stop working well with prolonged use and some have highly addictive properties. This is why your GP will want to explore alternatives in the form of sleep hygiene and cognitive behavioural therapy. The website Mind provides a good overview of non-medical interventions for insomnia which will serve better in the long term than any drug on the market (3).
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