Nonbenzodiazepines - such as zolpidem (Ambien) and eszopiclone (Lunesta) - also work on GABA, but they leave the body faster and have fewer side effects, allowing for regular waking and daytime functioning the next day. These medications can be habit forming, may cause daytime sleepiness, and may be associated with dementia. Prescription sleep medications are powerful drugs that work on different parts of the brain.īenzodiazepines like lorazepam (Ativan) and temazepam (Restoril) target gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a brain chemical that reduces nerve activity and promotes sleep. He says you can take melatonin safely for the long term. Epstein advises taking one to three mg of melatonin two to three hours before bedtime, if you're trying to better align your sleep cycle because of jet lag or a night-shift job. "It makes people a little sleepy, but it has a much greater effect in shifting the timing of the sleep phase," he explains.ĭr. Epstein says it's not a sleep medication. It's a synthetic version of the human hormone that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle. This supplement comes from a lab, not a plant. But some people have an allergic reaction to chamomile (especially those who are allergic to ragweed). It is considered mild and safe to help you become drowsy. It's taken in pills as well as teas (many people drink a cup of chamomile tea at bedtime). Use of this flower, which looks like a daisy, also goes back thousands of years. It has been used as a medicinal herb since the days of ancient Rome.Ĭhamomile. The root of this tall, flowering plant is said to help people fall asleep and to quell anxiety and stress. Many kinds of supplements claim to help you sleep. You might not be aware of that if you're focused only on the sleep benefits of a medication. For example, Tylenol PM contains not only 25 mg of diphenhydramine but also 500 mg of acetaminophen, a pain reliever.
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"And there is the potential that antihistamines may cause side effects in older adults, such as confusion and falls."Īnother risk: some over-the-counter sleep aids contain other medications. And we don't have a lot of long-term data about what happens if you use them for long periods of time," Dr. "You tend to become tolerant of the effect relatively quickly, so they stop working for you. They are generally safe but come with some risks.
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These medications work by blocking certain brain chemicals, which can have a sedating effect. Other over-the-counter sleep medications, such as Unisom SleepTabs, contain 25 mg per pill of an antihistamine called doxylamine succinate.
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Nytol, Sominex, and Unisom (the blue capsule form), for example, contain 25 to 50 milligrams (mg) of the antihistamine diphenhydramine per pill. Sleep medications that are available over the counter use antihistamines as their main active ingredient. They fall into two categories: nonprescription medications and dietary supplements. Lawrence Epstein, an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School.īut which option should you reach for? Drugstore shelves are lined with a dizzying array of products promising a good night's sleep. Is it okay to take a nonprescription remedy? "They're not meant for the long term, but it may be okay for an occasional night of problems with sleep," says sleep expert Dr. Observe these caveats if you use over-the-counter drugs or dietary supplements to help you sleep.