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Do You Need Sleep Drugs?
Your first line of sleep therapy should be our Deep Sleep Plan, but some people may need medications or herbal supplements. Despite the fact that 35 million prescriptions for sleep medicine were written in the United States in 2005 (twice as many as in 2000), many docs don't prescribe medications that are intended to get at the source of the problem. This guide will help you and your doctor make the decision that's right for you.
| Is This You? | Try | Why |
| You're just beginning to experience some mild sleep problems | Benadryl | This nonaddictive over-the-counter (OTC) option contains an ingredient that makes you groggy (it's also the ingredient in many sleep medications). If you don't have pain or other symptoms, stick to straight Benadryl. Otherwise, you can add an OTC painkiller. Downside: You may feel groggy in the morning and suffer memory problems. If so, stop using the medication. |
| You're jet-lagged, or your work schedule varies frequently. | Melatonin | Available in health-food stores, this supplement helps reset your body clock and is a first-line therapy for travel-related sleep issues. The dose varies between 0.5 and 5 milligrams, so you'll have to experiment with dosing to see what works best for you. |
| You've had sleep issues over an extended period of time. | Ambien, Ambien CR, Lunesta, or Rozerem | This long-acting prescription will give you less of a hangover than other drugs, but some docs believe it is addictive. The controlled-release (CR) version will give you a boost after 4 hours in order to avoid middle-of-the-night awakening. Lunesta works like Ambien but is thought to be nonaddictive. Rozerem works like melatonin, in our opinion, and it is nonaddictive. |
| You wake up in the middle of the night. | Sonata | This fast-acting hypnotic drug, available by prescription, is good if you wake up in the middle of the night, because it's quickly effective and won't last all night. It works to get you back to sleep, but it will not keep you asleep. |
| You can't fall asleep because you're worried or depressed. | Desyrel (trazodone) | This antidepressant is less expensive than some of the popular sleep drugs, and it's actually one of the most frequently prescribed sleep medications because it's effective and nonaddictive. One side effect for men: priapism (maintaining an erection for a lot longer than you want). Amitriptyline, an older antidepressant, may also be effective, but it has caused constipation in our patients. |
| You kick so much that you're considering trying out for the Chicago Bears. | Requip | This drug helps with restless legs syndrome (RLS). But another option is just drinking a little diet tonic water at dinner. It contains quinine -- an ingredient that helps quiet muscle cramps. |
