• Dizziness.
• Nightmares.
• Agitation or antagonistic mood in the morning.
• Amnesia (in high doses).
• Headache.
• Rare fatal overdoses have been reported.
As with any hypnotics, alcohol poses a danger with these drugs. The risk for rebound, dependence, and tolerance is lower with these agents than with benzodiazapine, particularly with Sonata.
In one study, people who took this hypnotic every night for one year had no evidence of dependency or withdrawal symptoms, but more large studies are needed to confirm long-term safety. These agents are still subject to abuse. In any case, no hypnotic should be taken for more than a few days or at higher than the recommended dose.
A combination of newer antidepressants and structured psychotherapy is proving to be very effective for improving both depression and insomnia in patients with both conditions.
Chloral hydrate is relatively reliable and has been in use since 1832. Many physicians prescribe it for short-term use if other hypnotics cannot be used. It has significant adverse effects, however, and some experts believe it no longer has a role in the treatment of insomnia.
In any case it does not appear to be effective in the elderly. Chloral hydrate poses a risk for addiction and it can be fatal in overdose. It also has carcinogenic properties and can harm genetic material.
Potential side effects also include irritation of the skin, mucous membranes, and stomach. People with stomach, heart, kidney, or liver disorders should not take this drug at all. If a child is given it (usually for minor surgery), then that child should never be given chloral hydrate again in his or her lifetime.
Since most of these drugs are available by prescription only, a thorough consultation with your physician is necessary. When under the care of a doctor, he or she can make sure that the medication is working for you and they can even assist you with any withdrawal symptoms should you stop taking the medicine.
The most significant concern about the use of medications for treating insomnia is that medication does not address the root cause of the problem, and instead becomes a crutch to lean on rather than a cure. Just as you would not leave a cast on a broken bone indefinitely because it would cause the muscle to atrophy, sleep medication should be seen as a temporary aid for sleep problems and not a long term one.
Other concerns about the use of over-the-counter and prescription sleep medications include:
• development of drug tolerance and/or dependence
• reduced effectiveness of drug
• physical side effects
• interactions with other drugs or chemicals in the body
• withdrawal symptoms
• rebound insomnia
Read up on symptoms of perimenopause at the
Perimenopause Symptoms website. Find information on monkeys as pets at the
Pet Monkeys website. For info on ideas for picnics, visit the
Picnic Ideas site.
