Common Sleeping Pills: Medications That Can Help You Sleep

Benzodiazepines such as Ativan, Librium, Valium, and Xanax are anti-anxiety medications. They also increase drowsiness and help people sleep. MenuNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesBlogsVideosMedicationsFindaNeurologistGoodSleepHabitsSleepDisordersOtherSleepProblemsWhatAffectsSleepTests&TreatmentsTools&ResourcesSleepingPillsSideEffectsofSleepingPillsAlternativeTreatmentsforInsomniaProgressiveMuscleRelaxationStressandSleepCircadianRhythmDrugInteractionCheckerInsomniaRestlessLegsSyndromeSleepApneaSnoringTeethGrindingTrackYourSleepMoreRelatedTopicsSleepDisordersReferenceMenuMedicallyReviewedbyBrunildaNazario, MDonAugust04,2022ArticlesOnInsomniaTreatmentsSleepingPillsSideEffectsofSleepingPillsAlternativeTreatmentsforInsomniaProgressiveMuscleRelaxationStressandSleepInsomecases,doctorswillprescribedrugsforthetreatmentofinsomnia.Allinsomniamedicationsshouldbetakenshortlybeforebed.Donotattempttodriveorperformotheractivitiesthatrequireconcentrationaftertakinganinsomniadrugbecauseitwillmakeyousleepyandcanincreaseyourriskforaccidents.Medicationsshouldbeusedincombinationwithgoodsleeppractices.Herearesomemedicationsthatcanbeusedtotreatinsomnia.Antidepressants:Someantidepressantdrugs,suchastrazodone(Desyrel),areverygoodattreatingsleeplessnessandanxiety.Benzodiazepines:Theseoldersleepingpills--emazepam(Restoril),triazolam(Halcion),andothers--maybeusefulwhenyouwantaninsomniamedicationthatstaysinthesystemlonger.Forinstance,theyhavebeeneffectivelyusedtotreatsleepproblemssuchassleepwalkingandnightterrors.Thesemedicationshavesomeseriousdownsides.Theycancauseaddictionanddependence.Dependencemeansthatyouhavephysicalwithdrawalwhenyoustopthem,whichyoucanhaveinthecaseofbenzos.Also,thereisablackboxwarningagainsttheirusewithopioids,becausebothdepressrespirationandincreaseyourriskofoverdose.Doxepine(Silenor):Thissleepdrugisapprovedforuseinpeoplewhohavetroublestayingasleep.Silenormayhelpwithsleepmaintenancebyblockinghistaminereceptors.Donottakethisdrugunlessyouareabletogetafull7or8hoursofsleep.Eszopiclone(Lunesta):Lunestaalsohelpsyoufallasleepquickly,andstudiesshowpeoplesleepanaverageof7to8hours.Don'ttakeLunestaunlessyouareabletogetafullnight'ssleepasitcouldcausegrogginess.Becauseoftheriskofimpairmentthenextday,theFDArecommendsthestartingdoseofLunestabenomorethan1milligram.Lemborexant(Dayvigo):Thisdrugisapprovedforpeoplewhohavetroublefallingasleepandstayingasleep.Itworksbysuppressingthepartofthecentralnervoussystemthatkeepsyouawake.Itmaycauseyoutofeelsleepythenextday.Ramelteon(Rozerem):Thissleepmedicationworksdifferentlythantheothers.Itworksbytargetingthesleep-wakecycle,notbydepressingthecentralnervoussystem.Itisprescribedforpeoplewhohavetroublefallingasleep.Rozeremcanbeprescribedforlong-termuse,andthedrughasshownnoevidenceofabuseordependence.Suvorexant(Belsomra):Itworksbyblockingahormonethatpromoteswakefulnessandcausesinsomnia.ItisapprovedbytheFDAtotreatpeoplethathaveinsomniaduetoaninabilitytofallasleeportostayasleep.Thedrugmaycauseyoutofeelsleepythefollowingday.Zaleplon(Sonata):Ofallthenewersleepingpills,Sonatastaysactiveinthebodyfortheshortestamountoftime.Thatmeansyoucantrytofallasleeponyourown.Then,ifyou'restillstaringattheclockat2a.m.,youcantakeitwithoutfeelingdrowsyinthemorning.Butifyoutendtowakeduringthenight,thismightnotbethebestchoiceforyou.Zolpidem(Ambien,Edluar,Intermezzo):Thesemedicinesworkwellathelpingyougettosleep,butsomepeopletendtowakeupinthemiddleofthenight.Zolpidemisnowavailableinanextendedreleaseversion,AmbienCR.Thismayhelpyougotosleepandstayasleeplonger.TheFDAwarnsthatyoushouldnotdriveordoanythingthatrequiresyoutobealertthedayaftertakingAmbienCRbecauseitstaysinthebodyalongtime.Youshouldnottakezolpidemunlessyouareabletogetafullnight'ssleep--atleast7to8hours.Inrareinstances,thesemedicationshavebeenknowntocauseinjuriesbecauseofbehaviorswhileasleeporpartiallyasleepsuchassleepwalkingandsleepdriving,amongothers.TheFDAhasapprovedaprescriptionoralspraycalledZolpimist,whichcontainszolpidem,fortheshort-termtreatmentofinsomniabroughtonbytroublefallingasleep.Over-the-countersleepaids:Mostofthesesleepingpillsareantihistamines.Thereisnoproofthattheyworkwellforinsomnia,andtheycancausesomedrowsinessthenextday.They'resafeenoughtobesoldwithoutaprescription.Butifyou'retakingotherdrugsthatalsocontainantihistamines--likecoldorallergymedications--youcouldinadvertentlytaketoomuch.Ifthesemedicationsdon’tworkforyou,yourdoctormaysuggestsomethingoff-label.Thesearemedicationsusedtotreatconditionstheyweren’toriginallymadefor.Olderantidepressantsaresometimesprescribedtotreatinsomniabecausetheychangebrainchemicals,whichcanhelpregulatesleep.Theseoldermedicationsalsotendtohaveasedativeeffectormakeyousleepy.Theyinclude:Amitriptyline(Elavil)Mirtazapine(RemeronSolTab,Remeron)Nortriptyline(Aventyl,Pamelor)TrazodoneTheFDAissuedwarningsforprescriptionsleepdrugs,alertingpatientsthattheycancauserareallergicreactionsandcomplexsleep-relatedbehaviors,including"sleepdriving."Theyalsowarnedpeoplethattakingsleepingmedicationatnightcanimpairtheirabilitytodriveorbefullyalert--eventhenextday.Keepinmindthatsleepdrugsarenotforlong-termuse.Talktoyourdoctorifyou’restillhavingtroublesleepingafter2weeks.NextInInsomniaTreatmentsSideEffectsofSleepingPillsWhyYouSnoreandHowtoStopVideo:YogaforBetterSleepWhat'sCausingYourAches?YourSleepPositionandYourHealthWhat'stheBestSleepPosition?[ss_icon]13JobsThatCanWreckYourSleepInsomniaMythsandFactsSlideshow:InsomniaMythsandFactsSleepDisordersHealthCheck-TaketheWebMDSleepinessAssessmentTestYourSmartsonPoorSleepandHowtoFixItWhenCountingSheepFails:TheLatestSleepMedicationsUndercoverInvestigationInsomniaTopicsFightFatigue12reasonswhyyou'retired--andhowtofightthem.SleepApneaCanyoutellmythfromfact?ZzzzzzzzzzzWhatdoyourdreamssayaboutyou?Wake-UpTips11waystomakethemorningeasier.QuizWhatDoYourDreamsSayAboutYou?SlideshowHowYourSleepPositionAffectsYourHealthArticleADHDandSleepProblemsQuizWhyYouNeedZZZsSlideshowFoodsThatHelporHarmYourSleepToolsStillAwake?GetPersonalizedTipstoHelpYouSleepQuizInsomnia?TestYourSleepSmartsSlideshowSleepProblems:YourEssentialGuideWhyYouSnoreandHowtoStopJobsThatWreckYourSleepWhyYouNeedtoGetEnoughSleep10WaystoRestWithaColdVideo:YogaMovesforBetterSleepWhat'stheBestSleepPosition?HealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefitsofHempSeedOilLiveBetterWithPsoriaticDiseaseTypesofB-CellTherapyforMS5HealthBenefitsofHempWhyProstateCancerSpreadsLivingwithAdvancedBreastCancerWhereBreastCancerSpreads