There are several treatment options for those who have difficulty sleeping, such as natural remedies such as valerian, passiflora or chamomile, non-prescription remedies like melatonin or doxylamine, or hypnotics and sedatives that are prescribed by the doctor in last resort, when no other method it works.
To improve sleep, you should always focus on healthy habits such as good nutrition, regular exercise and relaxation techniques to the detriment of medications. Learn how to cure insomnia without taking medicine.
Natural Remedies for Sleep
Natural remedies should be the first choice when you feel difficulty sleeping. Examples of options that can help improve sleep are:
1. Valerian
The valerian root has a calming action, reduces anxiety and improves sleep quality. Know all the benefits of this plant.
Valerian is a widely used plant, which can be found in various supplements, such as Valdorm, Valerimed, Valmane or Calman, for example. The recommended dose ranges from 45 to 450 mg about 30 minutes before bedtime.
2. Chamomile
Chamomile is a plant that helps to soothe, relax and lessen the stress and anxiety that are often factors that cause insomnia. To enjoy its benefits, tea can be taken before bed. Here's how to prepare a chamomile tea and what other benefits it may have.
3. Lavender
Lavender is a violet flower plant, very easy to find that has numerous benefits. To help you fall asleep and improve sleep quality, simply sniff a few drops of lavender essential oil for about 30 minutes before bedtime.
In addition, one can also make a pillow flavored with lavender or a blend of herbs and use it overnight. Here's how to make a scented pillow.
4. Passiflora
Passiflora is a plant widely used in insomnia, anxiety and other disturbances of the central nervous system due to its composition rich in flavonoids and alkaloids, which reduce motor activity, have sedative, anxiolytic and antispasmodic action and help to prolong sleep.
Passiflora can be found alone or in combination with other herbal medicines in supplements such as Pasalix, Passiflorine, Ritmoneuran, Tensart or Calman, for example or in tea form. In the case of supplements, the recommended dose may vary from about 100 to 200 mg before bedtime.
5. Lemon balm
The lemon balm is a plant with calming properties and that improve the quality of sleep. To enjoy these benefits just make a tea with its leaves. Here's how to prepare a lemon balm tea and what other benefits it has for health.
Sleeping pills that do not need a prescription
If none of the natural methods is effective in improving sleep, one may opt for non-prescription pharmacy remedies to be purchased. However, one should not abuse their use and it is best to talk to the doctor before taking.
1. Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone that is produced by the body itself, whose function is to regulate the circadian rhythm, making it function normally. Melatonin production is controlled by exposure to light and dark cycles, being stimulated at dusk and inhibited during the day.
Thus, taking exogenous melatonin may help in cases of sleep disturbances and circadian rhythm disorders, such as jet lag, night shift work, and various psychiatric disorders. In these situations, melatonin aims to synchronize these cycles, simultaneously exerting a hypnotic and sedative effect, thus promoting the induction and maintenance of sleep.
The recommended dose of melatonin ranges from 1 to 2 mg, and higher doses may require a prescription.
2. Antihistamines
Doxylamine is a drug that has a strong antihistamine action and can be used in sporadic situations in which the person has difficulty falling asleep or to maintain a sleep followed. The recommended dose of doxylamine ranges from 12 to 25 mg and should be taken about half an hour before bedtime.
To avoid undesirable side effects the next day, such as tiredness, drowsiness or headache, the person should sleep at least 8 hours.
Doctor-prescribed sleep remedies
These remedies, called hypnotics and sedatives, should be the last option to help sleep and should be avoided whenever possible because they usually cause dependence, tolerance, drug interactions, may mask other problems, or even cause rebound effect.
1. Benzodiazepines
The most indicated benzodiazepines for the treatment of insomnia are estazolam, flurazepam (Dalmadorm) and temazepam. The dosage depends on the person, the severity of the insomnia and should always be recommended by the doctor.
2. Non-benzodiazepines
These drugs are newer and have fewer side effects than benzodiazepines and a lower risk of addiction, but should also be used with caution and under medical supervision. Those most commonly prescribed are zaleplon (Sonata) and zolpidem (Stilnox), for example.
3. Melatonin Analogs
Rozerem is a sleep remedy that contains in its composition ramelteone, a substance that is able to bind to the melatonin receptors in the brain and cause a similar effect to that hormone, which helps you to fall asleep and maintain a relaxing and quality sleep.
The recommended dose is 1 8 mg tablet about 30 minutes before bedtime.
How to use these medicines safely
During treatment with sleeping pills you should avoid drinking alcohol or other sedative drugs near the time of the shot, you should sleep at least 8 hours to avoid waking up with sleepiness the next day and you should never take a dose extra in the middle of the night.
In addition, treatment should always be started with the lowest dose possible, avoiding frequent use as much as possible, and not driving or operating machinery during the medication's effect.
