"Then eat dessert without any alcohol and wait as long as possible before taking your sleeping pill." "But if you're at a dinner party and really want a drink, have the alcohol early," Krieger says. : 11 kinds of insomniaīecause everyone metabolizes food and alcohol at different rates, there are no safety absolutes when it comes to the minimum number of hours you should wait between consuming alcohol and taking a sleeping pill, experts say. Worst case: You may even stop breathing altogether. This can dangerously slow your heart rate and lead to dizziness, fainting, and shallow breathing, which can deprive your body of oxygen and damage brain cells. Why? Alcohol acts like a sedative at first, so you'd essentially be getting a double dose of sedatives. Never drink and then immediately take a sleep aid. Here's why: "Alcohol becomes a stimulant about three to four hours after you drink it, so you're actually working against your sleep medication," Arand says. if I had a glass of wine or a cocktail around 6 p.m.?Ī: It's probably OK, doctors say, but the sleeping pill won't work as well as it should. Q: Is it safe for me to take a sleeping pill at 11 p.m. (The timing depends on your sleep schedule, of course, and it's always wise to check with your doctor, she adds.) Longer-acting drugs like the time-released Ambien CR or Lunesta - for people who have trouble falling and staying asleep - shouldn't be taken more than once a night. because it would metabolize before you wake up," says Ana Krieger, M.D., a sleep specialist at New York University. "They last about three or four hours, so you could take another pill up until about 3 a.m. Short-acting medications kick in and then fade out, which is why they are prescribed for people who have trouble falling asleep. Q: If I take a prescription pill and still can't fall asleep, can I take another?Ī: If you're taking a short-acting drug, such as Sonata, Rozerem, or Ambien - and it's still early in the evening - you can take another pill. Note: Women who breast-feed should avoid them, as should the elderly, who sometimes are more sensitive to the effects of antihistamines. OTC sleep aids are best for people who have occasional sleep problems. And many - like Nytol, Simply Sleep, Sominex, and Unisom - contain antihistamines (similar to the allergy medicine Benadryl) that can have side effects like dry mouth and eyes and next-day grogginess, Arand says. Q: Should I try over-the-counter drugs before a prescription pill?Ī: Many sleep experts aren't fans of OTC sleep aids because the meds don't usually help people with significant insomnia. "It puts such a burden on sleep that not sleeping gets blown out of proportion." CBT changes that kind of distorted thinking and in some cases is prescribed along with a pill. "Often people attribute everything bad that happens to them, including being angry and crabby, to lack of sleep," says Donna Arand, Ph.D., clinical director of the Kettering Sleep Disorders Center in Kettering, Ohio. : Health risks of snoring and sleep apnea Some studies say CBT is as effective as pills - if not more - and has no side effects. If you don't have apnea, some docs recommend cognitive behavioral therapy: You work with a trained therapist to change how you think about sleep and learn sleep-inducing techniques (like how to set up your sleep space and what to do before bedtime). If you have apnea, you may need a sleeping device that gently forces air into your windpipe. : How much sleep do you need?įor starters, your doc may have you visit a sleep specialist to rule out sleep apnea, a common breathing disorder that wakes sufferers several times a night, sometimes without them even knowing it. She may recommend a pill for a short period, but don't be surprised if she suggests some tests or other non drug treatment options first. Yan-Go, M.D., director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Santa Monica-University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital. The general rule of thumb: If insomnia lasts a month and doesn't get better, talk to your doctor, says Frisca L. Q: How do I know if I need a sleeping pill?Ī: More than a third of Americans experience occasional insomnia, which is defined as a few nights of restlessness, poor sleep, or trouble falling asleep. So if you take one of these drugs now - or plan to in the future - there are important questions you need to ask. Many stop working after a few hours, for instance, and most should never be mixed with other meds. No wonder so many sleep aids are available.īut sleeping pills, while often quite helpful, are largely misunderstood. Why do women have such trouble sleeping? The reasons are as numerous as the passel of pills on the market: anxiety, depression, chronic illness, restless legs syndrome, sleep apnea, everyday exhaustion.
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