Don't let those TV commercials for sleep aids fool you
Troubles sleeping? No problem. There are prescriptions galore to choose from. I heard a commercial today that actually recommends that if you're concerned about getting addicted to a sleep aid, just ask for their brand from your doctor. I take it to mean they're putting themselves outside of the pack, their underlying message: "The rest of those pills have problems, but not our baby."
Some of these prescriptions will work, all right. You'll be able to sleep through the night, but you may also doze off while driving your car, or while your dinner is cooking or you're out at a family function. The randomness of that kind of sleep would not make me rest easier. But if your doctor prescribes you a sleep aid, you could face some of those experiences and never know it—until you woke up. That's just one side effect. Add to that the possible risk of anaphylaxis, which is a potentially fatal allergic reaction, or angioedema, where your face swells up.
I know that there is a better way than having to consider these "options." Despite vigorous foot-stamping and whining from several of the drug companies, once those adverse reactions were reported, the FDA recommended warnings be placed on 13 different prescription sleep aids. Also, the FDA has recommended that these drug companies set up trials to see how often these particular risks occur. We only know about the incidents that have been reported. But how many times has an incident occurred and gone unreported because the person was asleep and doesn't recall driving their car?
These makers of these drugs have not expressed any interest in starting any studies. Why should they? Remember—they're in charge of policing themselves and tracking the safety of their products once they're out on the market. They'll deny, deny, deny so they can collect, collect, collect. One company spokesperson reported that her company had not seen any significant changes in the safety profile of their sleep aid product. Interesting. Maybe they were asleep when the reports came in. And try telling that to the person who wakes up behind the wheel of their car going 60 m.p.h.
Don't worry that you'll never get to sleep without a prescription. I have patients who suffered from insomnia, but didn't want to take anything that was going to knock them out. I'm with them on that, so I've always recommended to them a simple herbal remedy—valerian—because it works. And, it's non-addictive.
One product I like is called Nature's Way Standardized Valerian Extract. All you need is about 1 to 3 capsules, half an hour before bedtime. Be patient—it'll take about two weeks to start working. When you want to stop taking it, taper off over a two-week period so you won't go through any withdrawal symptoms such as a rapid heartbeat.
