sleep

[Karolina Wiedmann]

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Many people recognize the heavily marketed product Xanax, but very few know the chemical name alprazolam. Usually used for the treatment of anxiety, alprazolam is sometimes used in the treatment of insomnia as well because of the effect high levels of anxiety have on sleep. While it is the first thing people think to try when suffering from anxiety related insomnia (and sometimes the alprazolam is the first thing doctors recommend as well) it should only be used as a last resort because of the side effects and dependency issues. Alprazolam gives an immediate and euphoric feeling to many of its users, and this also can result in addiction. For anxiety related insomnia, there are self relaxation techniques and herbal supplements which are far more effective than a lot of people give credit to and should be considered before the use of pharmaceutical drugs. Alprazolam can cause hallucination, loss of sex drive, blurred vision and many, many other things and should be considered your last resort.

Zolpidem is a more hazardous drug than you may realize, and should never be taken in doses which exceed 10mg per day. Allergic reaction is common to users of Zolpidem, showing itself as rash, hives and sore throat. What's more frightening are reports of hallucinations, memory loss, mood swings, personality changes and general confusion among users of Zolpidem. Generally marketed under the name Ambien, Zolpidem is becoming more and more commonly used in the treatment of insomnia. Though it is quite similar to benzodiazepines like Valium and Xanax it actually does not belong to this family of drugs. Zolpidem can be quite damaging to the liver and kidneys, and is also not recommended for any person with a lung disease. All of this should be discussed with your doctor before taking Zolpidem, but alternatives to Zolpidem for sleep disorders should be considered first.

What can be done if you can't sleep? It depends of course on why you can't sleep. Most cases of insomnia are either environmental (room is too hot, too much noise) or emotional (stress anxiety). Some people can fall asleep anywhere, and others need just the right temperature and light levels or else they can't sleep. If the second category is you, unfortunately there is little that can be done except try to get your bedroom as close to the perfect sleep environment as possible. If you can't sleep because of anxiety herbal supplements can be a great help. Although many are skeptical, herbal supplements have real science behind them, and if you can't sleep they should be used much before you consider a prescription drug. These supplements are available without prescription in pharmacies, health food stores and online. They have no side effects or addictive qualities. If you can't sleep trust the healing powers of nature.

herbal sleep aid