Most people don’t remember doing these things after they wake up.īenzodiazepines can be addictive and lead to substance abuse. You may appear to be awake, but your brain is not fully alert. People who take Z-drugs, in particular, may sleepwalk or eat, take medications, talk or even drive, all while unaware that they’re doing these things. This disruptive sleep disorder can cause dangerous behaviors while you’re still mostly asleep. Some prescription sleep medicines may bring on parasomnia. What are the potential risks or complications of prescription sleeping pills? You also shouldn’t mix sleep aids with other sedatives or alcohol. It may take months to stop taking the pills.
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If you’ve used sleep aids for a long time, talk to your healthcare provider about how to stop safely. When you stop the medicine, your insomnia may come back worse than before. When you take sleeping medicines night after night, your body may start to depend on them. What are the potential risks or complications of sleeping pills? Digestive problems, including gas, heartburn and nausea.Over-the-counter and prescription sleeping pills (and supplements) can cause these side effects: These daytime effects can negatively impact your ability to drive, work, go to school and complete daily tasks. They feel drowsy, have muddled thinking and experience dizziness or balance problems. What are the potential side effects of sleeping pills?Īpproximately eight out of 10 people experience a hangover effect the day after taking sleep medicine. Types of prescription sleeping pills include: You need a prescription from your healthcare provider to get these pills. Prescription sleeping pills are stronger than over-the-counter ones. What are the types of prescription sleeping pills? Drugs in over-the-counter sleep aids (including supplements) can interfere with other medications or make health conditions worse. Valerian is an herb that supposedly aids relaxation and sleep.Īlthough these sleep aids are easily accessible, you should check with your healthcare provider before taking them. Melatonin is a hormone your body naturally produces that promotes sleep. Some people take melatonin or valerian supplements to help them sleep. This drug treats allergies, but it can also make you drowsy. OTC sleep aids often contain an antihistamine. What are the types of over-the-counter (OTC) sleeping pills?Īny adult can buy OTC sleep medications at a store. Approximately one in three older people take some type of sleep medicine. Sleep difficulties become more common as you age. Who might need sleeping pills?Īn estimated one in seven Americans have long-term insomnia. They may be most helpful if a stressful life event, such as a divorce or death in the family, is keeping you awake. Generally, sleep aids should be for short-term use. On average, you might get an additional 35 minutes of shuteye. Most people who take sleep aids fall asleep about eight to 20 minutes faster than those without medicine. Studies show that sleeping pills aren’t that helpful in promoting a good night’s rest. Some sleep aids cause drowsiness, while others silence the area of the brain that keeps you alert. There are various types of sleeping pills. Sleeping medicines can also help you stay asleep if you’re prone to waking up in the middle of the night. People who have sleep disorders like insomnia may take these medications to help them fall asleep. (The latter, dubbed the “Twinkie defense,” was used by the man who killed San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, and actually resulted in reduced charges.As the name suggests, sleeping pills help you catch some sleep. The antidepressant Prozac has been used to explain away crimes, and so have sleepwalking and eating sugary foods. Similar defenses predate Ambien, which hit the market in 1992 and is now the most commonly prescribed sleep aid in the U.S. While plenty of juries have ruled to convict suspects in spite of it, some individuals have successfully seen charges ranging from assault to driving under the influence dropped or reduced after arguing the defense in court. The Ambien defense has yielded mixed results when actually used in court. Patrick Kennedy crashed his car in 2006 while under the influence of Ambien, and Charlie Sheen, who called Ambien “the devil’s aspirin,” blamed the drug for a 2010 hotel rampage. A 2011 review published in The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law details plenty of instances in which zolpidem allegedly influenced strange actions, ranging from relatively innocuous (sleep-eating) to dangerous (sleep-driving) to illegal (murder). Warnings like these have contributed to a decent number of people using zolpidem’s side effects as a legal defense or rationale for bad or unusual behavior.
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