Drugs for Insomnia
Prescription Medication or Over-the-Counter Drugs?

Insomnia medication is as controversial as it is abundant, but when it comes down to it, we need sleep; and we need restful, uninterrupted sleep in order to stay healthy.  Insomnia and related sleep disorders are a large and growing problem in our society and it seems that everywhere you look you see information on drugs for insomnia.  Chronic insomnia or sleep deprivation can be debilitating to a person.  Many treatment options include prescription medications such as Ambien, but instead of prescription drugs like Ambien, a good number of people attempt to self medicate and choose over-the-counter (OTC) drugs for their sleep disorder.  While the result of this self-treatment may produce somewhat desired results, there are often undesirable side effects.  OTC drugs that are used to promote sleep may have an effect in enveloping the patient in drowsiness, but patients with chronic insomnia may find that their disorder worsens.

The newer prescription sleep medication like Ambien, used in the treatment of insomnia is believed to have a lower addiction potential than earlier prescription sleep drugs.  If the Ambien medication is used per the prescription instructions, there is little risk of addiction.  These medications can produce an effect of drowsiness with few side effects.  At first, patients may experience some daytime drowsiness, but sufferers of chronic sleep disorders or chronic insomnia are willing to endure the minimal side effects in order to reap the benefits of medication treatment.

There are some alternative treatment options available for insomnia sufferers.  While there is no direct evidence to support the success of these types of treatment, they are worth mentioning.  Chamomile tea and warm milk have long been used to treat this disorder.  Recently music therapy is being used to treat insomnia.  Music therapy involves music that consists of tones, rather than music, that is soothing.  It seems to have a white noise background and has had some success in aiding sleep in some patients.  Doctors have begun prescribing music therapy as a treatment for some patients.  Some prescription drug companies that manufacture insomnia medications offer ambient music CDs.

See Also: Effects of Insomnia

About The Author:
Kerri Iamele is a successful author and regular contributor to sleep-disorders-help.com.