Cracking...The Sleep Code

• Home
• Insomnia
• Snoring

Sleeping Pills or Sleeping Aids - What is the Difference?

Having trouble with your sleeping or can not seem to get a restful sleep? Travelling and want to avoid a lack of restfulness that usually comes with travelling? Many people can have these situations arise and they look for answers to solve these difficulties.

Many people do not understand sleep aids and sleeping pills, but it should be noted that with both types of medications that they are intended only for using in short periods of time. Sleeping pills are medications come from a physician's prescription that is filled at a pharmacy.

Sleeping aids are typically known as the over-the-counter medications found at pharmacies, grocery stores, health stores and even mini-marts or similar. Sleeping aids may be acceptable to use on a one or two need, but they often fail to help and are not designed to help beyond that amount of time. Sleeping aids are also not tested as thoroughly as prescription medicines are so the effectiveness and safety come into question. Sleeping pills are more reliable on their effectiveness and the safety of using the medication is known.

However, even though these facts are known, does not mean it can be used on repetitive basis. Many of the sleeping pills that a doctor will prescribe contain addictive ingredients and should not be used for more than a two to three week length of time. If sleep problems are not resolved by this time, a physician should evaluate the patient for other problems that are the cause for sleep deprivation.

Most often restlessness at night stems from a multitude of reasons - dietary in take, activities preformed before bedtime or stress levels are the most common culprits. Sleeping aids will work by working against the histamine chemical in a person's body which results in a drowsy and sleepy state. Sleeping pills work in a few different ways.

One, they can help a person in falling asleep and two, is where the medication helps keep a person asleep once they have started sleeping and third is by assisting in sleep problems caused by depression. There are many medications that a doctor can prescribe so make sure you are telling them the truth about what exactly is the problem so you can receive the correct prescription that is the best for your particular situation.

The side effects of sleep aids, can be frustrating but are not as severe as the side effects from sleeping pills can be to a person especially if the sleeping pills are taken for the full course of time. Sleeping aids often leave a person with dizziness, grogginess, dry throat and/or mouth, constipation or urinary retention to name some.

Sleeping pills can make a person to lack the ability to sleep without them, become drug tolerant requiring larger dosing which can lead to further problems, withdrawals can be experienced when trying to remove the medication from the body, as well as other side effects. Deeper research into these medications should be looked into before consuming any of these medications and preferably with a person's own physician.

Many people find that if they practice good behavior changes in their life, sleep problems end up a thing of the past and medications are not required, however, everyone is different.