Millions of people around the world have insomnia and other sleep disorders. To get a good night’s sleep, many people turn to sleep pills for help. While sleeping pills can be effective in helping some people fall asleep, they can also have some unwanted side effects. This blog post will discuss the side effects of sleeping pills and how to avoid them.
Contents
Building A Tolerance
Over time, if you take prescription sleeping pills regularly, your body adjusts to the medication. Your body will need progressively greater doses to achieve the same sleep-inducing result. However, if you consume a large enough quantity, this may induce sleeping disorders and respiratory failure, which can be fatal. To reduce your risk of this adverse effect, don’t use sleeping pills for more than a week or two at a time. If you have a short-term sleep problem, such as the need to re-establish normal sleep habits, there’s no doubt that you should use these drugs. However, you may encounter difficulties when you use them for longer than 7 to 10 days.
Daytime Drowsiness
The most prevalent adverse effects of sleeping pills are daytime drowsiness. This typically happens when the impact of the medicine has not vanished after the person who took it awakes. Sleeping medicines are sedatives that induce the need to sleep and, if they are still in the patient’s system when they wake up, will make them tired. The safest approach to reduce the danger of drowsiness is to take medicine at the correct time. You should take the majority of sleeping pills before going to bed. Because these fast-acting sleeping medicines are strong, patients should only take them for a whole night’s sleep, which means they should go to bed at about 8 p.m. and get up at 6 a.m. Many people, however, take sleeping pills after tossing and turning in the middle of the night. Then, when they wake up, the medication is still at full strength, resulting in them oversleeping, missing their alarms, or being foggy.
Unusual Dreams
Sleeping pills are associated with a variety of uncommon dreams. When people sleep, they all have dreams, yet most people who wake up from “dreamless” sleep don’t recall them. Sleeping pills can have a variety of effects on dreams. Dreaming may become more vivid, and individuals may recall more information upon waking. Second, dreams might become unusual, frightening, or even dangerous. On the other hand, patients who have had nocturnal panic attacks may be advised to cease using their sleeping pill or change to a different medication if they become excessively worrisome
Heartburn Or Indesgestion
Sleeping pills might cause heartburn or indigestion, and benzodiazepines are most likely to induce these effects. The majority of patients take sleeping medications shortly before going to bed. Thus, the tablets raise the patient’s risk of stomach acid exposure at night. When stomach acid levels rise, the cells that line the esophagus may be harmed. Sleeping pills increase acid reflux and the occurrence of more heartburn and indigestion at night in patients. Patients who take sleeping pills should talk to their doctor about using non-drug ways to improve sleep. It would be best if you only used sleeping pills when absolutely necessary and for the shortest time possible. After taking sleeping pills, patients who have severe heartburn may need to make lifestyle modifications to minimize the effect. Eat a meal at least two or three hours before bedtime, and it’s a good idea to have smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. Certain foods, such as fatty or spicy meals, may cause heartburn. Those who suffer from heartburn should avoid onions, tomatoes, citrus fruits, chocolate, peppermint, and caffeine. If the patient experiences heartburn regularly, they should have an examination to look for the source of the problem.
Troubles Weening Off Sleeping Pills
It’s tough to quit taking sleeping pills once you’ve started, especially if you’ve been using them for a long time. In addition, some people develop rebound insomnia, in which their sleeping problems worsen when they stop taking the medication. Instead of quitting cold turkey, consider tapering your sleeping pill dosage over time rather than abruptly stopping. It may be tough to get a good night’s sleep without the help of medication, but it’s important to wean yourself off these drugs gradually to avoid potential adverse effects.
Conclusion
There are many side effects associated with taking sleeping pills. If you consider taking sleeping pills, it is crucial to speak to a doctor first to weigh the risks and benefits. It is also essential to be aware of the potential side effects so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not taking sleeping pills is suitable for you. Thanks for reading!
