Still that doesn’t guarantee you a good night’s rest. You’ve already followed all the usual tips for improving sleep, like having a nice cup of tea before bed, following a consistent schedule, and avoiding lengthy naps. If all else fails, the least you can do is make sure that you’re choosing the best over the counter sleep aid on the market. After all, while no-one wants to expose their body to chemicals, a lack of sleep can be seriously dangerous, and overwhelming to contend with. The more you fail to get the right quality of sleep, the more you may start to consider things like over the counter sleep aids as a solution to your problem. This basically means you have trouble staying asleep or getting to sleep. Unfortunately, sometimes no matter what you do to improve your sleep cycle, insomnia remains persistent.Ĭountless people across the globe suffer with at least mild insomnia. You might have already tried endless natural remedies, explored strategies that involve changing your sleep hygiene and invested in new relaxation methods. Developed in cooperation with the American Geriatric Society.Thinking of using an over the counter sleep aid? It is not a substitute for medical advice and treatment. This report is for you to use when talking with your healthcare provider. But your health-care provider should watch you carefully to make sure that the drug is helping and not causing bad side effects. Tylenol PM (combination of acetaminophen and diphenhydramine)Ĭonsider these drugs if the sleep problems are affecting your quality of life and nothing else has helped.Advil PM (combination of ibuprofen and diphenhydramine).Diphenhydramine (Benadryl Allergy, Nytol, Sominex, and generic).Avoid these over-the-counter sleep drugs: Side effects of some drugs can be especially bothersome for seniors: next-day drowsiness, confusion, constipation, dry mouth, and difficulty urinating. Over-the-counter drugs may not be a good choice. Kinds of sleeping pillsĪll of these pills have risks, especially for older adults: Even if an exam does not turn up an underlying cause, you should try other solutions before you try drugs. Sleep problems can be caused by depression or anxiety, pain, restless leg syndrome, and many other conditions. But recent studies suggest they have as much or more risk than the older sleep drugs. These are common causes of hospitalization and death in older people. More than double the risk of falls and hip fractures.The drugs can cause confusion and memory problems that: Seniors are likely to be more sensitive to the drugs’ effects than younger adults.Īnd these drugs may stay in their bodies longer. Sleeping pills can have serious, or even deadly side effects.Īll sedative-hypnotic drugs have special risks for older adults. On average, people who take one of these drugs sleep only a little longer and better than those who don’t take a drug. But studies show that this is not exactly true in real life. Many ads say that sleeping pills help people get a full, restful night’s sleep. Here’s why: Sleeping pills may not help much. According to the American Geriatrics Society, there are safer and better ways to improve sleep or reduce anxiety.
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Usually older adults should try nondrug treatments first. The drugs are also used to treat other conditions, such as anxiety or alcohol withdrawal. These drugs are called “sedative- hypnotics” or “tranquilizers.” They affect the brain and spinal cord.ĭoctors prescribe the drugs for sleep problems. Almost one-third of older people in the U.S.