Benefits and risks of sleeping pills to treat insomnia

Sleeping pills are usually the first choice in dealing with insomnia and conditions that make it difficult for us to fall asleep, such as thinking about work, bills, or family. Many people say that sleeping pills can help them get good sleep, but many also say that sleeping pills are not the right solution, because it can cause long-term dependence. So, what are the benefits and risks of sleeping pills? Let's take a full look below!

Benefits and Risks of sleeping pills

Benefits of sleeping pills

Insomnia is not a condition that can be taken lightly. Insomnia has been linked to obesity, anxiety, decreased immunity, heart disease, and diabetes. Lack of sleep can also affect your activities during the day, so you tend to increase your caffeine intake or take long naps. Lack of sleep can also increase cortisol and adrenaline levels, making it more difficult for you to fall asleep.

Benzodiazepines are the most commonly prescribed sleeping pills. This compound can stimulate the neurotransmitter GABA which is responsible for sedation. Another popular sleep medication that can affect melatonin receptors, this medication can help to induce sleep and regulate your sleep-wake cycle. In addition, antidepressants can produce a sedative effect by reducing anxiety.

Although benzodiazepines act on various types of GABA receptors throughout the brain, benzodiazepines also have other effects, namely:

• Reduces anxiety
• Muscle relaxation
• Eliminate memory of certain events while taking the drug
• Euphoria

Risks of sleeping pills

All prescription sleeping pills have side effects that vary, depending on the specific drug and dose, as well as how long the medication lasts in your system. The most common side effects are such as prolonged drowsiness the next day, headache, muscle aches, constipation, dry mouth, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, lightheadedness, and insomnia.

Other risks include:

• Drug tolerance. Over a period of time, your body will build up a tolerance for sleeping pills, so you will take more than usual for the drug to work in your body. The more sleeping pills you take, you will experience greater side effects.
• Drug dependence. You may rely on sleeping pills for sleep, and won't be able to sleep or even have bad sleep if you don't take them. Prescription drugs can usually be very addictive, so it can be very difficult to get off of them.
• Withdrawal symptoms. If you stop using the drug suddenly, you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, sweating, and shaking.
• Drug interactions. Sleeping pills can interact with other medications. This can worsen the side effects and sometimes be harmful, especially with prescription painkillers and other sedatives.
• Insomnia. If you stop taking sleeping pills, sometimes the insomnia will get worse than before.
• Cover the main problem. There may be an underlying medical or mental disorder that insomnia or even sleep disorders cannot be treated by sleeping pills.

How to have good sleep habits?

Although medicine can help us to have a good sleep, it will make you psychologically dependent. You will start to believe that you cannot sleep without medication and that it is not a good sleep habit. According to National Sleep Foundation , good sleep habits should be followed by:

• Do not consume caffeine in the future.
• Avoid nicotine and alcohol 2-3 hours before bed.
• Maintain a regular sleep-wake schedule every day including weekends.
• Exercise regularly and stop a few hours before bed.
• Finish eating at least 2-3 hours before bed.
• Create a restful sleeping environment by reducing noise, light and temperature extremes by plugging your ears, using blankets, and air conditioning.

Experts agree that sleeping pills can be an important and necessary part of a successful sleep program, but that is not the only answer. Research has shown that changing your sleep habits and lifestyle will be a long-term cure for your sleep problems. Behavioral and environmental changes can have a more positive impact than sleeping on drugs, because they do not have the side effects and risk of addiction.