Sleep Awareness Week reminded us of the importance of sleep in mental and physical wellness. However, especially for those who struggle with their mental health, it can be a challenge to get a good night’s sleep consistently. In some cases, you may be able to be prescribed sleep medications — or you might even purchase over the counter sleep aids, such as melatonin. You certainly wouldn’t be alone in that. Roughly 18% of Americans use sleep medication to help them get to sleep.1
These can help you adjust your sleep schedule, but what are the drawbacks? Let’s discuss the pros and cons of sleep medications.
Pros of Sleep Medications
First, let’s break down the benefits of sleep medication. If you’ve been struggling with sleep and all attempts to set a routine or wind down for the night have failed, sleep medications can offer a chemical aid that will help you fall asleep and hopefully sleep through the night. Some of the benefits include:
A Solid Last Resort
Insomnia can be aggressive and frustrating to take control of. Sometimes even your best efforts don’t lead to a good night’s sleep. You can eat at the right times, avoid caffeine, do all the right sleep hygiene practices, and still find yourself with racing thoughts as soon as your head hits the pillow. You can go to therapy and take anti-anxiety medication to manage those racing thoughts and still struggle.
In these cases, sleep medication can be a solid last resort. There are medications specifically designed for those with insomnia that your provider might be able to recommend you. Even an over the counter sleeping pill could offer you some relief where you can’t find it elsewhere.
Sleep Through the Night
Sleep medication is intended to induce drowsiness so you can fall asleep sooner but also stay asleep longer. This can be a relief to those with insomnia who wake several times during the night. If you can sleep through the night, you’re more likely to wake refreshed and better ready to face the day.
Reduced Daytime Drowsiness
One obvious benefit is that, if sleep medication works, you’ll have less drowsiness during the day. When you get a healthy amount of sleep at night, you can approach the day with more focus and energy. This is a major boon for those who struggle with depression, which can often have symptoms of fatigue to begin with. It will also allow you to think more wise-mindedly, rather than acting on autopilot or knee-jerk emotional responses because you’re tired.
Sleep Schedule Fixer
Maybe your sleep schedule got thrown off by a few rough nights. You don’t usually have trouble sleeping, but right now you have trouble falling asleep at the time you’d like. Taking sleep medication — especially over the counter medications — for a night or two can help you sort out your sleep schedule so you can get back on track.
Cons of Sleep Medications
Despite the benefits, there are also some drawbacks, especially when it comes to long-term use. You should always speak to your provider about the potential concerns when it comes to sleep medications.
Effectiveness Can Wear Off
While sleep medication can seem like a blessing in the first days, it can begin to wear off after a few weeks. Your body will naturally attempt to build a tolerance, thus making the medication less effective. If your only goal was to correct your sleep schedule and let your body take it from there, that’s fine. However, if you were hoping for a permanent solution, know that you might need more than sleep medication.
Rebound Insomnia
Another issue that can occur with long-term use is rebound insomnia if you stop taking it. Dropping sleep medication cold turkey can lead to withdrawal and difficulty regulating your circadian rhythm. This is because you’ve become dependent upon the sleep medication and then abruptly stopped taking it. As with all medications, you will want to ease off of it rather than hitting a sudden stop.
Disruption of Body’s Natural Rhythm
Melatonin is a popular over-the-counter sleep medication. It increases the natural hormone of melatonin that your body already creates to help you sleep. But therein lies the problem. Your body does naturally create melatonin, and taking melatonin as a sleep aid long-term can potentially disrupt that cycle. This could cause sleep issues in the long run.
Increased Drowsiness
While sleep medication can help you to fall asleep, there is a chance that it could create too much drowsiness, leading you to feel groggy and tired in the morning. Getting the right balance can take time. You want to be able to sleep enough to wake feeling rested. When you oversleep, it can have the opposite effect. If you take sleep medication and find that you’re feeling too drowsy, consider cutting back on the dosage or talking to your medication provider if you take a prescription.
Getting the right amount of sleep is essential to good mental health. Sleep medication can help, but it can also make things worse if you aren’t careful. Ultimately, you should speak with your mental health provider about your options for improving your sleep schedule and tell them about any changes you find after going on sleep medication.
Need help correcting your sleep? Rivia Mind is here for you. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule an appointment with a provider.
Resources:
- Nearly 1 in 5 Americans Use Medication To Sleep – Washington Post
