![]() ![]() If you are experiencing high levels of stress, or think you may be depressed, these are important factors to relay during your office visit. The bottom line is that if you’re experiencing sleepless nights or sleep disturbances, you should check with your primary care doctor, who will help you figure out what’s going on, suggest next steps, and, as noted, may refer you to a sleep specialist. Although over-the-counter sleep aids can typically be taken safely short-term, they all have contraindications and drug interactions (if you are taking other medications make sure you consult your physician before starting a sleeping aid), shouldn’t be used if you plan to drink, and generally shouldn’t be relied on for sleep every night. Melatonin is a naturally occurring sleep hormone, diphenhydramine and doxylamine are both antihistamines, and valerian is a plant. Common over-the-counter sleeping medications have one of four ingredients: melatonin, diphenhydramine, doxylamine, or valerian. That goes for any medication that helps you sleep, not just the ones prescribed by your doctor. Sleeping pills often carry some risk of dependency, so if you’re just having a bit of trouble sleeping for a night or two, it’s best to see if it will pass with other adjustments to your sleep routine before reaching for meds. They’re also not recommended for long-term use. ![]() According to the Mayo Clinic, sleep meds should be used under a doctor’s supervision at the recommended dose and only after other attempts to abate the insomnia have failed. There is a place for sleeping meds for some types of sleep disturbances, but they should be used judiciously and should not be considered a magic cure. Been there, bought the tacky keychain souvenir. Here's the cycle for me: I can’t get that elusive good night's sleep, so I’ll take sleeping meds tonight, which leads to not being able to sleep again tomorrow unless I take sleeping meds again. Trying to manage insomnia with drugs often feels a little like not being able to find your glasses because you can’t see to find your glasses. I've tried sleep meds to help, but they're not a permanent fix. ![]() In short, a relationship between a racing mind and sleepless nights is pretty clear. (Recent studies suggest that insomniacs may exhibit cognitive “stress dysregulation,” meaning their brains have issues effectively regulating stress). So there’s a good chance you’re not imagining that you sleep like crap when you’re stressed out, and vice versa, no matter which one is causing the other. It’s all a vicious cycle: Being stressed out can make it tough to get good quality sleep, and the less sleep you get, the more stressed you feel. There seems to be a connection between insomnia and elevated levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. According to research, chronic insomnia can take a toll on everything from your cognition (we’re talking difficulty concentrating, focusing, and remembering things) to your physical health (there seems to be a relationship between poor sleep and hypertension, for example), and emotional health (insomnia is a risk factor for anxiety and depression, and can also exacerbate those conditions if preexisting). ![]()
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