The amount of sleep that a person needs to function in a normal manner depends on several factors, including age. Infants sleep most of the day (about 16 hours); teenagers usually need about 9 hours a day; and adults need an average of 7 to 8 hours a day. Although older adults require about as much sleep as younger adults, they usually sleep for shorter periods and spend less time in deep stages of sleep. About 50% of adults over the age of 65 have some type of sleep disorder, although it is not clear whether this is a normal part of aging or a result of other factors, such as medications that older people commonly use.
Everyone experiences occasional sleep problems, but getting a good night’s sleep is essential for feeling refreshed and alert during the day. Lack of sleep might make you feel foggy and unable to concentrate, or just a lesser version of your normal self. Sleep problems will eventually disrupt your work, family and personal relationships.
How do you tell if your sleepless night is an isolated occurrence or if it is related to a chronic sleep problem or disorder? Start by identifying your symptoms. Particular behaviors during the day are telltale signs of sleep deprivation. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms on a regular basis, your sleeplessness might be part of an ongoing problem or sleep disorder.
According to the latest evidence, the medical profession is becoming increasingly conservative in prescribing sleep-promoting medications. Over the past decade, prescriptions filled in drugstores have dropped from 42 to 21 million. Only about 10 percent of people with insomnia receive prescribed sleeping pills. Another 5 percent buy over-the-counter sleep compounds that don’t require a prescription. Still others use drugs intended for other purposes–for example, daytime sedatives, antihistamines, anticholinergic drugs, and tranquilizers. None of these drugs should be used without consulting a physician first. Their misuse or outright abuse poses a danger. All sleeping medications should be used sparingly, for the shortest possible time, and in the smallest effective dose.
All brands of prescribed sleeping pills are hypnotics–that is, drugs that depress the central nervous system and put users to sleep. A variety of hypnotics are now on the market, including barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and several classes of drugs generally referred to as the nonbarbiturates/nonbenzodiazepines.
The barbiturates usually lose their effectiveness within 2 or 3 weeks of daily use. Doctors today tend not to prescribe the barbiturates. Most prefer to treat their patients with one of the benzodiazepines or a variant class of drug, which are considered less addictive and safer in overdose than barbiturates. The benzodiazepines are still very toxic, however, when taken in combination with alcohol, overdoses are taken or when respiratory disorders. Benzodiazepine drugs sometimes can aid sleep for up to 30 days. The benzodiazepines are not all alike, though. Some work faster than others, some produce effects that last longer, and some are eliminated from the body sooner.
Which type of sleeping pill is prescribed depends on a person’s particular problem and needs. One pill might be right for problems falling asleep and another for problems in maintaining sleep or insomnia associated with anxiety.
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