News

When to take a sleeping pill for insomnia

Aug 07 2013...

Sleeping pills can be an effective treatment for chronic insomnia. But like any other drug, sleep medications can have side effects. One potential side effect of sleeping pills is daytime drowsiness.

Sleep medications are powerful hypnotics. They can be helpful because they cause a strong urge to sleep. But you don’t want this sleepiness to persist after you wake up. One way to minimize the risk of daytime sleepiness is to take a sleeping pill at the right time of night. READ MORE>>

Sleep discovery could lead to therapies that may improve memory

Mar 13 2013...

A team of sleep researchers led by University of California, Riverside psychologist Sara C. Mednick has confirmed the mechanism that enables the brain to consolidate memory and found that a commonly prescribed sleep aid enhances the process. Those discoveries could lead to new sleep therapies that will improve memory for aging adults and those with dementia, Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia.

“We found that a very common sleep drug can be used to increase verbal memory,” said Mednick. “This is the first study to show you can manipulate sleep to improve memory. It suggests sleep drugs could be a powerful tool to tailor sleep to particular memory disorders.” READ MORE>>

Sleeping pills could have harmful side effects for COPD patients

Feb 13 2013...

Researchers from St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto have found that a popular class of drugs commonly used to treat sleep and mood symptoms continues to be frequently prescribed despite being known to have potentially life-threatening side effects. Previous studies have linked benzodiazepines – a medication class that may be used in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to treat symptoms of insomnia, depression, anxiety and shortness of breath – with adverse outcomes, but until now there has been little information on how frequently it's prescribed or who is using it.

“I see a large number of COPD patients taking this medication class to help relieve disease-related symptoms like insomnia, depression and anxiety," said Dr. Vozoris, lead author and respirologist at St. Michael's. "But considering the potential respiratory side-effects, and the well-documented neurocognitive side effects like memory loss, decreased alertness, falls and increased risk of motor vehicle accidents, the high frequency of benzodiazepine use in COPD is very concerning." READ MORE>>

Sleeping pills more than quadruples fall risk

Nov 30 2012...

Researchers from the Mayo Clinic have found that zolpidem, the drug often branded as Ambien and prescribed to help patients in hospitals sleep, has been associated with a significantly increased risk of falls.

As a result of the study, the clinic is now phasing out zolpidem and moving toward sleep enhancement techniques that are not based on drugs and which they believe are safe and probably more effective. READ MORE>>

Intermezzo approved for as-needed treatment of sleep interruptions

Dec 14 2011...

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new sleep aid for people who wake in the middle of the night. Intermezzo was approved Nov. 23 for as-needed treatment when nighttime awakening is followed by difficulty returning to sleep. READ MORE>>

Sleep Drug during Depression Treatment can Solve Insomnia Symptoms

Aug 15 2010...

Insomnia and depression are often closely related. The relationship can go both ways: depression can cause insomnia, and insomnia can lead to depression. READ MORE>>

Sleeping pills, stimulants & prescription drug abuse

Jun 30 2009...

Prescription drug abuse is a nationwide problem affecting every segment of society. Older adults may be most vulnerable to prescription drug abuse. They are prescribed more medications than younger adults. But surveys show that the problem also can affect children and teens. READ MORE>>

Medications often prescribed for children and teens with sleep problems

Aug 10 2007...

Results of a new study show that doctors often prescribe medications to treat a child’s sleep problems. Many of these medications lack FDA approval for use in children.

The study looked at U.S. survey data from 1993 to 2004. The authors analyzed reports of patient visits to a doctor’s office. The study group involved children who were 17 years old or younger. READ MORE>>

Insomnia: questions to ask your doctor

Jul 18 2007...

It is important to talk to your doctor before you begin treatment for insomnia. You may be unsure of what you need to do. Perhaps you are concerned that there may be risks involved. You probably want to know how much and how soon this treatment will help you. READ MORE>>