Sage-Tips

Can I take sleeping pills for the rest of my life?

Sleeping pills are not a valid long-term treatment for insomnia or other sleep disorders. They can have serious side effects for your health, but they also do not solve the problem. Regular reliance on medications can actually keep someone from being properly diagnosed.

Is it safe to take sleeping pills everyday?

Vensel-Rundo says, doctors recommend patients use sleep aids nightly for two to four weeks. If you need help longer, they suggest you only take the medication as needed, such as three nights weekly.

When should you consider taking sleeping pills?

Most sleeping pills – such as Ambien or Lunesta – should be taken right before you get in bed. You should only take these sleeping pills when you are able to get a full night of sleep. This means that you should take the medication at least seven to eight hours before you need to wake up.

Why sleeping pills should be avoided?

This can be lethal, especially for people who have chronic heart or lung disease. And people taking hypnotics are more likely to have car and other accidents due to the hangover effects the next day. The drugs also increase rates of depression and therefore the risk of suicide.

Is there a link between sleeping pills and dementia?

In two separate large population studies, both benzodiazepines (a category that includes medications for anxiety and sleeping pills) and anticholinergics (a group that encompasses medications for allergies and colds, depression, high blood pressure, and incontinence) were associated with an increased risk of dementia …

Is melatonin safe for senior citizens?

Although melatonin is usually considered safer than benzodiazepines, an increased fracture risk has recently been reported with this drug, and caution should be advised for elderly patients at risk for falls. Melatonin is only one option in the armamentarium of sleep solutions for older adults.

Is melatonin safe for elderly with dementia?

Melatonin supplements are generally safe and are used to treat insomnia. They may modestly improve sleep, which could theoretically lead to long-term protection against Alzheimer’s. However, other insomnia treatments may be more effective and experts do not recommend melatonin for elderly people with dementia.

How can I safely use sleeping pills?

Here’s some advice on how to use them safely. Get a medical evaluation. Read the medication guide. Never take a sleeping pill until you’re going to bed. Take your sleeping pill when you can get a full night’s sleep. Watch for side effects. Avoid alcohol. Take sleeping pills strictly as prescribed by your doctor. Quit carefully.

What happens when you mix sleeping pills and alcohol?

Mixing sleeping pills and alcohol can potentiate the effects of the drug and in combination with the sedative effects of alcohol can result in breathing cessation and even death.

When to avoid taking over-the-counter sleeping pills?

Avoid these over-the-counter sleep drugs: When to try sleeping pills. Consider these drugs if the sleep problems are affecting your quality of life and nothing else has helped. But your health-care provider should watch you carefully to make sure that the drug is helping and not causing bad side effects.

Should older adults take sleeping pills for sleep?

Sleeping pills are usually not the best solution. They affect the brain and spinal cord. Doctors prescribe the drugs for sleep problems. The drugs are also used to treat other conditions, such as anxiety or alcohol withdrawal. Usually older adults should try nondrug treatments first. According to the American Geriatrics Society,…