Sleep Medication

Anybody who has ever spent a night tossing and turning knows all too well that sleeplessness has a negative impact on the ability to think clearly, to remember details and to respond appropriately and quickly. Lack of sleep makes us cranky, fuzzy and forgetful, and that’s after just one night – just imagine what it feels like to somebody who suffers from chronic insomnia. Now a recent study out of the University of Pennsylvania is offering hope to those whose lives are impacted by constant sleep deprivation. Scientist there have found in experiments performed using laboratory animals that there are certain medications that can be used to counter the impact that lack of sleep has. Continue reading →

If you are a person who suffers from a sleep disorder or chronic insomnia, you might think that any kind of testing or medication that a physician might provide to help you alleviate your symptoms would be a good thing But according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), there are some tests and treatments that should not be provided in specific circumstances. Continue reading →

When you’re one of those people who always have a hard time getting to sleep, the holidays can make things even more challenging. Whether it’s a matter of staying up late wrapping gifts (or stressing about the gifts you have left to purchase), getting the house together for holiday guests, or getting used to a new bed when you’re the one travelling to visit, this time of year can be particularly difficult. Continue reading →

Millions of people in America suffer from difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, and as a result many have turned to prescription sleep aids known as sedative hypnotics. Though these drugs can be effective, they are not without their side effects. But when people try to discontinue their use, they often find the process to be highly challenging. Dr. Lawrence Epstein is a sleep expert and an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School, and he says, “People believe that they can’t sleep without them, and they stay on them for years.” He has been helping people to wean themselves off the drugs through a combination of slowly reducing their dosage and at the same time changing their sleep-related behaviors. Continue reading →

Benzodiazepines are medications that are prescribed frequently for symptoms of insomnia and anxiety. They include such familiar names as Ativan, Valium and Xanax.  Though the medications are effective, their use has been called into question in the past for a number of reasons. The American Geriatrics Society has specifically warned against their use in older adults, citing concerns about side effects that can lead to falls and hip fractures as well as car crashes, but despite these concerns almost half of all older adults in the United States have used these drugs. But the results of a new study linking their use to a higher incidence of Alzheimer’s may cause physicians to reconsider when prescribing. Continue reading →

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the year 2004, roughly fifteen percent of the American workforce was earning a living by working on the night shift. This type of work may be lucrative, but it is also extremely difficult on the body and on the social lives of those who do it.  Staying awake during the shift is difficult, and though falling asleep after work is generally not a problem it can be difficult for them to stay asleep. Shift workers often miss social events, time with their family, important meetings or activities that their children are involved in, and more. Continue reading →