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Treatment Of Insomnia Treatment with Medication
•Alcohol. Commonly self-prescribed as a sleep aid, alcohol is of limited benefit. A very small amount of alcohol can be relaxing and produce sleepiness early in the evening, but tolerance and withdrawal occur very rapidly. •Antihistamines. Over-the-counter sleeping pills (Sominex, Nytol) - are probably the most commonly used sleeping preparations apart from alcohol. They are not consistently effective. Residual difficulty with coordination and memory can persist into the daytime. •Benzodiazepines. In prescription form these drugs are relatives of diazepam (Valium) marketed as sleeping aids. The three most common ones are trade-named Dalmane, Halcion, and Restoril. They appear to reinforce the effect of a naturally occurring inhibitor of neural activity. These drugs have little effect on breathing or on function of the heart. The side effects of using this drug are poor coordination, reduced reaction time, and impaired memory. These "hangover effects" occur when the blood level is at its peak and will vary depending on how long the drug remains in the body. •Barbiturates were formerly the standard sleeping pills, sold under such names as Seconal and Nembutal. Barbiturates can depress the functioning of all electrically active tissue, including heart muscle. Lethal overdose is fairly frequent and combination with alcohol is particularly hazardous. •Chloral hydrate is similar to barbiturates in the way it acts, including its tendency to leave pain perception unaffected. It is irritating to the skin, mucous membranes, and stomach but, has few severe side effects at the doses used for sleep. •Other drugs such as ethchlorvynol (Placidyl) are likely to produce neurologic side effects when taken. Many physicians prescribe a new, short-acting drug called Zolpidem (Ambien). It is not a benzodiazepine and may produce fewer side effects. Treatment without Medication The following methods can help alleviate sleeplessness: •Develop a regular sleeping schedule. Avoid daytime naps and stimulating activities just before bedtime. •Avoid stimulating drugs, such as caffeine and nicotine, particularly before going to bed. •Exercise during the day (but not in the late evening). •Avoid alcohol- it is a leading cause of poor sleep. •Drink a cup of warm milk. •Mask background noise in the bedroom throughout the night. •Try using a sleep mask and ear plugs at night. •Take medications that may be stimulating long before bedtime. Additionally, there are some behavioral techniques such as relaxation therapy, sleep restriction, reconditioning and bright-light therapy. Relaxation therapy consists of techniques that help reduce or eliminate anxiety and body tension. Sleep restriction is a technique that starts with a person only allowed to get a few hours sleep a night; over time the hours of sleep are increased until a more normal night's sleep is achieved. Another treatment that may help some people with insomnia is to recondition them (reconditioning) to associate the bed and bedtime with sleep. For most people this means not using their beds for any activities other than sleep and sex. Bright-light therapy is for people with miss-set internal clocks. In the wintertime, special commercial lights provide the necessary light exposure. People who wake too early may gain from bright-light therapy in the evening and avoiding sunlight in the morning. Experts must synchronize the time of light exposure to your body temperature, so supervision is necessary. For more information about treatment of insomnia, please visit http://healthscout.com |
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