Signs that Indicate when Sleeping Pills are your Last Resort
vincent newton
Research has shown that occasional bouts of insomnia affect
approximately forty percent of Americans and one out of every ten
individuals suffers from more chronic insomnia that is ongoing.
Sleeping pills can provide some individuals with relief from their
sleeplessness and help improve their chances for getting a restful
night's sleep. Doctors will only prescribe sleep medication for
insomnia as a last resort after other methods such as lifestyle
alterations (changing one's diet, exercising more regularly, etc.) and
behavioral techniques have been undertaken.
What are the signs that indicate that sleeping pills are necessary as a
last resort? The National Sleep Foundation has set down guidelines as
to when medicating a person for sleep relief becomes essential. First
of all the cause of the sleeplessness has to be clearly identified. If
difficulties with sleep patterns are affecting an individual's ability
to accomplish many routine daily tasks then sleeping pills might need
to be taken under advisement. If behavioral techniques have been
refused by the insomniac or have not helped, it may be time for
sleeping pills. If a person is suffering from a form of
insomnia-related distress, sleeping pills might remedy this. Many
doctors start their patients on a small dosage of sleeping meds at the
start of behavioral therapy as they favor using the two in conjunction
with each other.
Two other instances where sleeping pills might be considered for relief
is if the insomnia is short-term or temporary (for example if a person
is mourning the loss of a loved one or suffered the loss of a job)
and/or if the insomnia is connected in any way with a diagnosed medical
or biological condition (for example, premenstrual syndrome) or a
stressful event such as a job interview, public speaking or the fear of
flying.
Other indications that sleeping pills may be in order are if you
suddenly find that your memory is not so good, you have a slow response
time and if you find it difficult to control your emotions (for
example, crying at inopportune times or sudden bursts of anger). If you
are drifting off to sleep at the wheel, that can prove dangerous (and
in severe cases, fatal) to yourself and/or others. If performance
problems at work have you concerned, if you find it difficult to
concentrate on the simplest tasks and your attention span is very small
then perhaps you are in need of a last resort to get a fitful night's
sleep.
When doctors prescribe sleeping pills to patients it is necessary for
certain criteria to be met. First of all the lowest effective dosage
should be given, it should be given on a nightly basis if short-term
but if for long-term purposes, it should be intermittent, and finally
it should be used in conjunction with psychology (such as behavioral
techniques or approaches to good sleep). Figuring out whether a person
is suffering from short or long-term insomnia is so very important in
deciding upon a solution to the problem. Behavior modifications are
often very successful when short-term insomnia is related to a
stressful life situation while long-term insomnia may have other
considerations.
Over-the-counter medication (OTC) is an alternative to prescription
sleeping pills. Over-the-counter sleeping pills are best used for
short-term bouts of insomnia but changes to sleeping habits and/or
lifestyle changes are encouraged. Becoming dependent on OTC sleeping
pills is not advisable nor is it healthy and excessive use can actually
increase the debilitating effects of insomnia. Over-the-counter
medications can have adverse effects on the body so it is important to
pay attention to how one's body reacts to the use of them. If you
experience any of these common side effects then discontinue use of the
pills- blurred vision, constipation, dried mouth and throat, dizziness,
drowsiness the following day, forgetfulness and urinary retention.
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the most common
ingredient to be found in over-the-counter sleeping pills is
antihistamine. Other names for this ingredient are diphenhydramine
hydrochloride, diphenhydramine citrate and doxylamine succinate. The
sleep experienced while taking OTC pills is not the exact same quality
as the normal sleep of those not taking sleeping pills. It is believed
that people who use OTC sleeping pills only experience deep sleep
approximately five percent of the night (in comparison to ten to
twenty-five of regular unmedicated sleepers).
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