Sleeping pills are every insomniac’s best friend. After all, nobody wants to go through sleepy and cranky days from not having had a good night’s sleep the night before. But before you kiss your insomnia goodbye thanks to these wonder drugs, it may be good to consider what side effects these popular sleeping pills can have, so that you will learn not to become dependent on them and instead try to look for other remedies for your sleeplessness.
Indeed, a sleeping pill is designed to be effective at treating sleep problems, at least in the short term. But with long-term use, the side effects may far outweigh the benefits. Once you understand these, you will be better equipped to avoid the misuse of these sedatives.
Majority of sleeping pills fall under the label “sedative hypnotics,” referring to a certain class of drugs that are meant to induce or help a person maintain sleep. These include barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and a few other hypnotics.
Typically, benzodiazepines, such as Valium, Librium, Xanax, and Ativan, are anti-anxiety drugs. They work by increasing drowsiness to help people sleep. One of the greatest dangers with these drugs is that they can quickly become addictive. Meanwhile, barbiturates work by depressing the central nervous system, potentially causing sedation. These drugs may come in terms of short-acting or long-acting medication. They may sometimes be prescribed as sleeping pills or sedatives, although these are more commonly used as an anesthetic. Also, there have been newer drugs that help to reduce the time required for a person to fall asleep. These newer medications, such as Sonata, Ambien, and Lunesta, are reportedly not habit-forming, and work to increase drowsiness and eventually sleep.
Of course, like nearly all medications, sleeping pills come with side effects. Typically, doctors are quick to warn their patients if they happen to have other health conditions, particularly asthma. For one thing, sleeping pills tend to make a person breathe less deeply and more slowly, which may be dangerous for persons suffering from asthma, COPD, or other uncontrolled lung problems. Other side effects may come in the form of tingling or burning sensation in the person’s arms, hands, legs, or feet. Sometimes it is also accompanied by a change in appetite, diarrhea or constipation, difficulty with keeping one’s balance, drowsiness, dizziness, gas, heartburn, headache, dry throat or mouth, stomach tenderness or pain. Adverse effects also include an uncontrollable shaking in a part of the person’s body. Some people also report having unusual dreams and weakness.
While these seem to be manageable side effects, some drugs come with effects that are potentially harmful. Parasomnias are among these harmful effects. These refer to actions and behaviour over which the person has no control, such as sleepwalking. When a parasomnia episode occurs, the person is asleep and is therefore totally unaware of what is going on. When they happen as a result of sleeping pills, they may even include making phone calls, sleep eating, or having sex, all while still in a sleep state. A more dangerous situation would be when a person winds up sleep driving. Of course, these episodes are rare, but can be difficult to detect when the medication has already taken effect.
These may be the major reasons why the FDA has encouraged pharmaceutical companies of sleeping pills to reinforce stronger language in the product labelling about the possible risks of taking sleeping pills.
In order to avoid negative side effects, there is a certain precaution involved. Make sure that you only take them under prescription, and even then, stick to the dosage that your doctor prescribes. Complex sleep problems are less likely to occur when you are taking the proper dosage, while increasing the dosage greatly increases the risk.
Overall, if you have sleeping problems, it may be best to consider trying other natural ways, such as avoiding stress triggers towards the night time, or even throughout the day. Being relaxed and well-rested contributes to a greater chance of falling asleep faster. Some people benefit from joining support groups, such as a church, which gives answers to their anxieties and worries, including guilt an condemnation, as something freely given by a Supreme Being who is not angry with them. Sometimes, all it takes is a release of one’s guilty conscience for a person to fall and stay asleep without the use of drugs!
