People suffering from insomnia need help. Sleep is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle, and lack of sleep can affect everything from attitude to physical performance, among other things. However, prescription drugs make people nervous because of their side effects as well as the risk of addiction. Therefore, many patients suffering from insomnia prefer the idea of non-prescription sleep aids. Many people though don’t know what sort of help is available without a prescription, and they question how effective it is.
OTC Sleep Aids
Over the counter, or OTC, sleep aids contain antihistamines. While people normally use antihistamines to combat allergies, they can also promote drowsiness, and therefore sleep. Even though there is anecdotal evidence from patients regarding the effectiveness of these pills, the claims have not been backed up by research. Additionally, OTC sleep aids have a number of side-effects including daytime drowsiness, blurred vision, dizziness, forgetfulness, and dry mouth.
Herbal Remedies
If one wishes to avoid the antihistamines, they may look into herbal treatments. Melatonin, a hormone that regulates the body’s sleep-wake cycle, is available as a dietary supplement. Research exists that shows melatonin indeed helps patients with insomnia. However, the dose is important in properly treating the condition, and a further study shows that 0.3 mg may be the ideal dosage for most people.
Like OTC drugs, melatonin has side-effects, such as drowsiness, itching and headaches. Additionally, it can cause problems for people with allergies or immune system issues, so those individuals shouldn’t take melatonin. Other herbal treatments, including tryptophan, chamomile, and valerian (among others) reportedly aid in sleep; however research has been inconclusive as to their effectiveness. The inherent risk of side-effects from these herbal remedies must be taken into account as well.
Other Alternatives
While most people think of taking some form of medication to treat ailments, with insomnia simpler measures exist that can be performed with little or no risk to the person’s health. First, a person should monitor their diet and exercise to ensure they aren’t doing things that are counter-productive to rest too close to bedtime, such as ingesting caffeine. Additionally, people need to reserve their bed for sleep. To ensure their brain associates the bed with sleeping, you should do all other activities, including watching television or reading, in a different location. Lastly, a variety of relaxation techniques, from daily yoga to progressive relaxation while lying in bed, aid in promoting rest.
Even with the wide variety of non-prescription sleep aids available to the person locked in the grips of insomnia, people need to avoid most of those treatments prior to speaking with their doctor. Non-invasive changes can generally be made without risk, but a physician is the best person to determine which, if any, of the other treatments will be most effective for an individual patient.