10 Side Effects of Sleep Medication You Need to Know About
Sleep is a vital part of our daily lives. Unfortunately, many of us struggle to get the uninterrupted sleep our bodies need. This problem can be solved with lifestyle changes or natural remedies for some, but for others, it requires medication.
With the advancement of modern healthcare, we thankfully can become aware and take action for our sleep problems. However, taking any medication comes with potential side effects and risks. The same is true of sleep medication.
Before starting any new medication, you need to understand its potential side effects and associated risks, such as:
Drowsiness
Drowsiness is a common side effect of sleep medication. It occurs when you wake up feeling tired despite sleeping for a whole night or longer. But don’t worry! Drowsiness is pretty normal if you’re taking sleep medications like Lorazepam.
Studies have shown that it should go away after a few days. It only indicates that your body is still adjusting to the new medication and needs more time to get used to it. If you want to give Lorazepam a try, make sure to use Lorazepam Coupon codes to get the best deal. An average ambien prescription cost: $14.22
Impaired Cognitive Function
Cognitive function is also affected by sleep medications. That can make focusing, remembering, and making decisions hard. It is especially true if you take your prescription at a late hour or on several consecutive days.
Suppose your sleep medication affects your ability to think clearly during the day. In that case, speaking with your healthcare provider about ways to reduce or eliminate this side effect is essential.
Irregular Heartbeat
Another common side effect of sleep medication is an irregular heartbeat. The active ingredients can cause this in the medication or by interaction with other medications you take. If you have heart disease, sleep medication can increase your risk of serious complications.
Contact your doctor immediately if you experience an irregular heartbeat after taking sleep medicine. You need to adjust the dosage or switch medications to reduce the risk.
Respiratory Issues
Sleep medications can cause respiratory issues. It includes reducing the body’s ability to take in oxygen while sleeping. In turn, this can cause snoring and other sleep disruptions. In some cases, it can lead to sleep apnea.
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any respiratory issues while taking sleep medication. They may be able to adjust the dose or prescribe an alternative medication. While the risks of respiratory issues should not stop you from seeking treatment for your sleep problems, being aware of them is essential.
Allergic Reaction
Medications often lead to allergic reactions, and sleep medication isn’t exempt. Hence, you can have an adverse reaction to the prescription.
If you’ve noticed blurred vision, difficulty breathing, itching, nausea, and hives, among others, after a dose, stop taking your medication immediately and consult your doctor. If you keep taking medicine, it could lead to anaphylaxis within minutes (and sometimes 12 hours) after taking the medication.
Untreated anaphylaxis can be fatal and lead to death if not addressed within half an hour. Hence, please don’t risk it and stop taking the prescribed medication.
Depression and Anxiety
Some people find that taking sleep medication can cause or worsen feelings of depression and anxiety. It is more likely to happen with higher doses, so talking about dosage with your doctor is essential.
Moreover, before your doctor prescribes a sleep medication, tell them if you’ve ever experienced depression or anxiety. Finding an alternative treatment less likely to cause emotional side effects may be possible.
Headaches
Headaches are another common side effect of sleep medication. If you experience headaches after taking the medication, speak with your healthcare provider. They may be able to adjust the dose or suggest alternative treatments that are less likely to cause headaches.
If the headaches don’t go away after adjusting the dose or switching medications, seeking medical help is essential. Chronic headaches can indicate an underlying health problem and should not be ignored.
Dizziness
Dizziness is another potential side effect of sleep medication. It usually occurs when you stand up quickly after taking medicine. You may also experience lightheadedness or a feeling of vertigo. And in some cases, the dizziness can be severe enough to make you feel faint.
If this occurs, speak with your doctor right away. They may be able to adjust the dosage or recommend an alternative treatment. Additionally, if you experience dizziness for more than a few days, seeking medical attention as soon as possible is essential to rule out any underlying medical conditions.
Hallucinations
In rare cases, sleep medications can cause hallucinations. If you take too much medication, have a history of mental illness, or are taking other medications that affect your brain chemistry, it is more likely to happen.
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience hallucinations after taking sleep medication. They can adjust the dosage or switch to a different type of medication and reduce the risk of hallucinations. Additionally, they can help you find alternative insomnia treatments to ensure you get the restful sleep you need without risking side effects.
Dependence
It’s a fact that some medications can be addicting, which is why the only way to get them is through prescription. Most sleeping medications are for short-term use only, but despite this, some still choose to take them long-term. By doing so, tolerance increases, leading to people taking more doses or abusing the medication.
Addiction to sleeping pills can cause impairment in one’s motor coordination, lack of focus, poor memory, vertigo, and euphoria. Psychological dependence on the prescription is also highly possible, with worries about being unable to sleep without a dose. Combined with alcohol, abusing the medication can be fatal.
Hence, stop taking your medicine once the prescription ends to avoid this outcome. Talk with your physician if your sleep troubles continue to persist.
Final Thoughts
Sleep is an essential aspect of our overall well-being. Without good sleep hygiene, we won’t be able to function to the best of our abilities while also putting our health and safety at risk. But sleep, as natural as it should be, does not come to everyone quickly.
Sleep medication can help improve your sleep quality, and knowing the potential side effects is essential. Talk to your doctor if you notice these effects while using sleep medication. They may be able to recommend ways to lessen or eliminate them. Take steps toward a more restful night’s sleep with care and diligence.
https://www.healthline.com/health/drug-allergy
10 Side Effects of Sleep Medication You Need to Know About
Sleep is a vital part of our daily lives. Unfortunately, many of us struggle to get the uninterrupted sleep our bodies need. This problem can be solved with lifestyle changes or natural remedies for some, but for others, it requires medication.
With the advancement of modern healthcare, we thankfully can become aware and take action for our sleep problems. However, taking any medication comes with potential side effects and risks. The same is true of sleep medication.
Before starting any new medication, you need to understand its potential side effects and associated risks, such as:
Drowsiness
Drowsiness is a common side effect of sleep medication. It occurs when you wake up feeling tired despite sleeping for a whole night or longer. But don’t worry! Drowsiness is pretty normal if you’re taking sleep medications like Lorazepam.
Studies have shown that it should go away after a few days. It only indicates that your body is still adjusting to the new medication and needs more time to get used to it. If you want to give Lorazepam a try, make sure to use Lorazepam Coupon codes to get the best deal. An average ambien prescription cost: $14.22
Impaired Cognitive Function
Cognitive function is also affected by sleep medications. That can make focusing, remembering, and making decisions hard. It is especially true if you take your prescription at a late hour or on several consecutive days.
Suppose your sleep medication affects your ability to think clearly during the day. In that case, speaking with your healthcare provider about ways to reduce or eliminate this side effect is essential.
Irregular Heartbeat
Another common side effect of sleep medication is an irregular heartbeat. The active ingredients can cause this in the medication or by interaction with other medications you take. If you have heart disease, sleep medication can increase your risk of serious complications.
Contact your doctor immediately if you experience an irregular heartbeat after taking sleep medicine. You need to adjust the dosage or switch medications to reduce the risk.
Respiratory Issues
Sleep medications can cause respiratory issues. It includes reducing the body’s ability to take in oxygen while sleeping. In turn, this can cause snoring and other sleep disruptions. In some cases, it can lead to sleep apnea.
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any respiratory issues while taking sleep medication. They may be able to adjust the dose or prescribe an alternative medication. While the risks of respiratory issues should not stop you from seeking treatment for your sleep problems, being aware of them is essential.
Allergic Reaction
Medications often lead to allergic reactions, and sleep medication isn’t exempt. Hence, you can have an adverse reaction to the prescription.
If you’ve noticed blurred vision, difficulty breathing, itching, nausea, and hives, among others, after a dose, stop taking your medication immediately and consult your doctor. If you keep taking medicine, it could lead to anaphylaxis within minutes (and sometimes 12 hours) after taking the medication.
Untreated anaphylaxis can be fatal and lead to death if not addressed within half an hour. Hence, please don’t risk it and stop taking the prescribed medication.
Depression and Anxiety
Some people find that taking sleep medication can cause or worsen feelings of depression and anxiety. It is more likely to happen with higher doses, so talking about dosage with your doctor is essential.
Moreover, before your doctor prescribes a sleep medication, tell them if you’ve ever experienced depression or anxiety. Finding an alternative treatment less likely to cause emotional side effects may be possible.
Headaches
Headaches are another common side effect of sleep medication. If you experience headaches after taking the medication, speak with your healthcare provider. They may be able to adjust the dose or suggest alternative treatments that are less likely to cause headaches.
If the headaches don’t go away after adjusting the dose or switching medications, seeking medical help is essential. Chronic headaches can indicate an underlying health problem and should not be ignored.
Dizziness
Dizziness is another potential side effect of sleep medication. It usually occurs when you stand up quickly after taking medicine. You may also experience lightheadedness or a feeling of vertigo. And in some cases, the dizziness can be severe enough to make you feel faint.
If this occurs, speak with your doctor right away. They may be able to adjust the dosage or recommend an alternative treatment. Additionally, if you experience dizziness for more than a few days, seeking medical attention as soon as possible is essential to rule out any underlying medical conditions.
Hallucinations
In rare cases, sleep medications can cause hallucinations. If you take too much medication, have a history of mental illness, or are taking other medications that affect your brain chemistry, it is more likely to happen.
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience hallucinations after taking sleep medication. They can adjust the dosage or switch to a different type of medication and reduce the risk of hallucinations. Additionally, they can help you find alternative insomnia treatments to ensure you get the restful sleep you need without risking side effects.
Dependence
It’s a fact that some medications can be addicting, which is why the only way to get them is through prescription. Most sleeping medications are for short-term use only, but despite this, some still choose to take them long-term. By doing so, tolerance increases, leading to people taking more doses or abusing the medication.
Addiction to sleeping pills can cause impairment in one’s motor coordination, lack of focus, poor memory, vertigo, and euphoria. Psychological dependence on the prescription is also highly possible, with worries about being unable to sleep without a dose. Combined with alcohol, abusing the medication can be fatal.
Hence, stop taking your medicine once the prescription ends to avoid this outcome. Talk with your physician if your sleep troubles continue to persist.
Final Thoughts
Sleep is an essential aspect of our overall well-being. Without good sleep hygiene, we won’t be able to function to the best of our abilities while also putting our health and safety at risk. But sleep, as natural as it should be, does not come to everyone quickly.
Sleep medication can help improve your sleep quality, and knowing the potential side effects is essential. Talk to your doctor if you notice these effects while using sleep medication. They may be able to recommend ways to lessen or eliminate them. Take steps toward a more restful night’s sleep with care and diligence.
https://www.healthline.com/health/drug-allergy
