Insomnia is one of the most prevalent sleep disorders affecting adults, globally. It is characterised by the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, and can also be further potentiated with frequent middle-of-the-night disturbances.
This sleep disorder can be categorised into the acute and chronic types of insomnia:
- Acute: this is mostly short-term sleep difficulties that can last for few days to a few weeks. This type of sleep condition can also be referred to as an adjustment sleep disorder because in the majority of these cases, the sleep difficulties are often related to a stressful event.
- Chronic: the chronic form of this disorder lasts for much longer, for longer for six months in some cases. People with this type of condition generally have a long history with sleep difficulties and endure trouble sleeping for at least three nights per week.
Sleeping pills can be used for the treatment of this sleep disorder. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that in a 2005-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, approximately 4% of adults, older than 20 years, use prescription sleep medications.
For those who have questions relating to a sleep condition – such as what is insomnia? or what are the different types of insomnia? – online pharmacies have valuable information to further gain an insight to this sleep disorder and the possible pharmaceutical treatments too.
What Are Sleeping Pills?
Sleeping pills are a type of medication used for:
- Sleep onset: this is transition from wakefulness to non-REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. However, there are some circumstances where one can transition from to REM sleep, which is a deeper form of the sleep cycles. Sleep medicines function to reduce the time to sleep onset.
- Sleep duration: also referred to as sleep latency, this is the total sleep time per night. The recommended sleep duration per night is at least seven hours, except for children and adolescents who require approximately ten hours of sleep per night. A sleeping tablet can be used to increase the total sleep time as well as the quality of sleep.
- Middle-of-the-night awakenings: these are also known as nocturnal disturbances, and are characterised by sleep disturbances during the night where the patient may find it difficult to transition back to restful sleep, after being awakened. Nightly disturbances are common. The average adult may be disturbed about six times during the night, but without any negative implications on the quality of sleep. Nocturnal awakenings are different. They are periods of sleep disruption that adversely affect the quality of sleep. Sleep medicines can be used, especially in low dosages, to assist with the symptoms of this type of sleep disorder.
What is Insomnia Treated With?
A sleep disorder can be treated with behavioural therapies but the most effective means of therapy involve the use of sleep medications. The different types of sleeping tablets include:
- Benzodiazepines: there are several Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved benzodiazepine medicines used for the management of the symptoms of insomnia. These are effective for both the acute and chronic forms of the condition, and generally prescribed when you require longer lasting forms of the sleeping tablets as they can remain in your system for longer periods of times.
- Non-benzodiazepines: these are colloquially known as Z-drugs and have been used instead of benzodiazepines, as they are normally considered safer. Non-benzodiazepine tablets function similarly to benzodiazepines, and so these classes of psychoactive medications have common side effects and risks too.
- Selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): SSRIs can be used to treat a sleep disorder as they influence brain chemistry by altering the levels of hormones in the brain. They can be used alone or in conjunction with other sedative (calm-promoting) or hypnotic (sleep-inducing) medications.
Who Does Insomnia Affect?
Although insomnia may affect anyone for any number of reasons, there are certain factors that place one at risk for developing the health condition, and these are:
- Medical conditions: chronic diseases can often be associated with pain symptoms, which affect the ability to fall asleep or stay asleep. In certain situations, the worry and anxiety of a medical condition can also impair one’s ability to acquire the good quality of sleep.
- Age: advanced age (those over 65 years) can affect both the quality of sleep and the episodic periods of wakefulness during the night as well. As we age, the level of hormones are affects and this can be directly linked to the deterioration of sleep quality.
- Lifestyle behaviours: staying up too late or working night shifts can alter your sleeping patterns, making the symptoms of this sleep disorder likely. Those who regularly consume alcohol can also experience sleep difficulties as studies show that alcohol in excess may lead to poor sleep quality.
- Gender: women experience hormonal changes which may lead to the symptoms of a sleep disorder, and these changes can be experienced during the menstrual cycle or the days leading up to the menstrual cycle. In a study examining the prevalence of a sleep condition in women, it was reported that sedative-hypnotic medications can have a direct effect on the quality of life, and the mental and physical health of women with sleep difficulties as well.
What is Insomnia-treatment Adverse Effects?
Sedative-hypnotic medications are normally associated with mild side effects, especially those affecting the central nervous system (CNS). Two of the most common sleeping pills side effects include next-day sedation and excessive drowsiness.
In the event of residual sedative effects, you should not engage in any activity that requires your optimal mental alertness. This can be driving, using power tools or operating other heavy machinery.
These activities should also be avoided in the case of excessive drowsiness. If you are feeling drowsy during the day, you can try eating foods or drinking beverages known to boost energy levels, such as bananas and coffee.
Other sleeping pills side effects can include:
- Dry mouth
- Diarrhoea
- Constipation
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Changes in appetite
These adverse effects are typically mild in nature and often short-lived. Lifestyle changes and certain medications can help improve the symptoms of these adverse events. Thankfully you can buy zopiclone on the internet very easily and even benefit from speedy home delivery!