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In an interview on Radio 4's the Today programme on Wednesday December 1st, Dr Ike Iheanacho - editor of Drugs Therapeutics Bulletin expressed his concerns about the adverse effects associated with the use of sleeping pills. He highlighted the fact that over 10million prescriptions for sleeping tablets are given out each year and that people who are having problems with sleeping expect to be given tablets. However sleeping tablets are powerful medicines which suppress the functions of the nervous system and have a number of side effects particularly in older people.
Side effects include:
* over sedation - this can lead to various problems the next day
including accidents, driving, falls etc
* memory problems
* dependence - which can then lead to issues with withdrawal etc
Dr Iheanacho went on to talk about some of the OTC alternatives that are available. Some of these contain antihistamines and these can have similar issues to prescribed sleeping pills. He therefore suggested using alternatives such as relaxation techniques.
However there are OTC products on the market that do not contain antihistamines and rely on well documented herbal ingredients for their effectiveness. True herbal products are based on ingredients such as valerian and passiflora and can restore natural sleep patterns without causing drowsiness in the morning. Such products will not have the side effects associated with prescribed products and are an ideal alternative for anyone needing that extra help getting to sleep.
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