There are a huge amount of sleep aids on the market today. When picking a sleep aid there are three categories to pick from. One is available only by prescription, the second choice is to use an over the counter sleep aid while others are at your nearest health food store.  Only you and/or your doctor can help to decide which sleep aid is right for you.

Prescription medications that help you get to sleep include Lunesta, Rozerem, Halcion, Ambien and Sonata.  Medications that help you stay asleep are Estazdam, Lunesta, Restoril, Ambien CR. These are really more of a last resort for someone with prolonged insomnia. Side effects may include dizziness, headache, sleep-driving, severe allergic reaction, swelling of the face, as well as possible prolonged drowsiness.

The next best possible sleep aids are over the counter medications. Diphenhydramia, is the key ingredient in medications such as Nytol, Sominex and Unisom. These have very few side effects. It is possible to become addicted to any sleep aid, whether a prescription or over the counter drug.

Getting out of the drug thought process, try using herbs to help you sleep. A cup of chamomile tea before bed helps to relax your mind and your muscles. You may also want to try valerian root which reduces the amount of time it takes you to fall asleep as well as increasing the quality of your sleep. This should be taken approximately 1 hour before bedtime. Valerian root takes 2-3 weeks for the user to receive it’s full effects. Do not use it longer than 3 months. Consult a health professional before using this herb if you take prescription medications. Other items are lavender, which is a known stress reliever as well as St.John’s Wort which is known to help with depression. If your insomnia is due to depression then this herbal supplement would help a great deal. Another supplement recommended by herbalists is melatonin. Melatonin is a natural substance inside our bodies that help to control your internal clock. It can be taken in pill form. It is great for jet lag or if you work odd hours at work. Melatonin should be taken within 30 minutes of bedtime and be used for less than three months. Doctors say that caution should be used with this her if you suffer from depression or an autoimmune disease. All of these herbs can be found in health food stores as well as in some grocery stores.

A truly all natural way to induce sleep is through food. Ingesting Tryptaphan, most commonly found in turkey meat, causes increased levels in serotonin which transforms into melatonin. This type of response also occurs when eating complex carbohydrates such as whole grain breads or whole grain crackers.

I had a bunch of people email me about Lunesta! Remember I am not a doctor, I just do research on topics people want to know about and display it here. With that said, please follow the medical advice of your doctor!

Lunesta is a non-narcotic sleep medicine for adults that aids in falling asleep. It is made especially for persons suffering from insomnia, helping them stay asleep for up to 7-8 hours.

How it Works

Lunesta helps the body fall asleep and stay asleep by enhancing the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid, which is a chemical in the brain that controls sleep. It induces sleep by relaxing the body and the mind.

Benefits

Good thing about Lunesta is that it does not create drug tolerance, which means that it can be taken either in a short term or long term without losing its effectiveness and as well as without having to depend on the drug.

Some sleep medications will create rebound insomnia once the person stops taking the medication. That means that the person will experience a more severe case of insomnia compared to what he or she experienced before taking a medication. People taking Lunesta will have a low risk of developing rebound insomnia.

Possible Side Effects

The most common side effects of this drug are drowsiness, headache, dizziness, common cold-like symptoms, dry mouth and unpleasant taste in the mouth.

There are also possible serious side effects such as memory loss and anxiety. The person may also experience and manifest abnormal thoughts and behaviors such as agitation, confusion, hallucination, aggressiveness, suicidal attempts and depression. Severe allergic reactions include difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat or tongue and nausea and vomiting.

Risks of Lunesta

Lunesta is not indicated for everyone. Persons that are contraindicated in taking Lunesta are those having health conditions like liver diseases. Persons with history of addiction, drug abuse, drug abuse, mental illness, suicidal attempts and depression are also contraindicated from taking Lunesta. Women who are pregnant, breast-feeding and planning to become pregnant are also not allowed to take the medication.

Availability

Lunesta is available in a tablet form that comes in 1-, 2- and 3-mg.

When to use it

It is necessary to take Lunesta exactly as prescribed by the doctor. It should be taken with a glass of water right before going to bed. It should not be taken during a meal or right after a meal. It is not advisable to take Lunesta together with alcoholic beverages or with medications that can make you drowsy or sleepy.

What Lunesta-users Need to Know

* It is necessary to inform your doctor about all medications (vitamins, herbal supplements, prescription and nonprescription medicines) that you are currently taking because Lunesta may create interactions with some medications that can cause serious side effects.

* Lunesta may cause drowsiness that may last until the following day. It is necessary that you should avoid activities such as driving until you feel fully awake.

* If you still continue to experience insomnia or if it worsens within 7-10 days despite taking the medication on time, you need to call your doctor.

* If overdose occurs, it is necessary to call a poison control center or your doctor for an emergency treatment.