Safety First: 7 Best Practices for Taking Sleep Medication Responsibly in the UK

Getting enough quality sleep is essential for your health and well-being, but not all sleep medications are safe to be used for extended periods. While most are designed to help you fall asleep and stay asleep, some can trigger serious side effects. Hence, it is wise to consult a healthcare specialist before taking any sleep aids for sleep disorders. Sleeping pills might be helpful when you find it difficult to sleep occasionally or struggling with temporary insomnia, but they are mostly not suitable for prolonged usage. Taking them for longer than prescribed or in higher dosage can lead to dependency, where it'll take more than the prescribed dosage to reach the required hypnotic effect of the medication. In this blog, we will explore some of the best practices to be maintained while taking sleep medications for sleep disorders.

Consult a Doctor Before Taking any Sleep Medication.

If you are struggling with insomnia, it is essential to talk to a healthcare professional first to get a proper diagnosis on the matter. Once you are properly evaluated, your doctor can pinpoint the root cause of your insomnia, which tends to be work pressure or depression at times. For effective treatment of your insomnia, you would require a proper diagnosis and treatment that focuses on addressing the underlying problems. Be sure to notify your doctor regarding your medical history, current health status, or if you are currently using any prescription or OTC supplements. This way, your doctor can suggest sleep medications or a medicine regime that will not interact with your current drugs, worsening your health. Before you take any sleep medicine, read the instruction manual provided by the pharmacy and follow your doctor's prescription for safe and effective usage.

Time your Medications Properly for a Full night's Sleep.

Sleeping medications should be taken right before bedtime, preferably 30 minutes before your schedule. Taking them too early can interfere with your daily activities during the evening, while taking them too late can strain your sleep cycle. Hence, you should take a sleeping pill and go to bed soon after to prevent complex sleep behaviours like sleepwalking. Before taking the medicine, ensure you have enough time to sleep, typically seven to eight hours. Taking the medicine and waking up only a few hours later can make you feel groggy. Take your sleeping medication and lie down to let it kick in within 15-30 minutes of administration. For optimal results take the drug a few hours after your meal, which can speed up its mechanism and enhance the effectiveness.

Start with Low Doses and Avoid any Activities after Taking the Pill.

If you want to prevent any 'complex sleep-related behaviour,' go to bed after taking the medication. Since most sleeping pills tend to produce a sedative and hypnotic effect that signals your brain to dose off, continuing with any task that requires your focus after taking a sleep aid can be dangerous. Avoid performing any activity or driving after taking sleep medications, as it increases the chances of accidents. Before taking your sleep aids, consult a doctor for the correct dosage and ministration guidelines for safe and effective treatment. Doctors usually begin your initial treatment with the lowest dosage of a sleeping tablet and gradually increase it depending on your response and tolerance to the medication. Do not increase your dosage of sleep aids unless your doctor tells you otherwise, as it can lead to dependency and overdose.

Don't Take for Longer than Prescribed

Most doctors typically prescribe sleeping pills for short-term treatment of sleep disorders. Some sleeping medications are only suitable for 3 weeks of treatment. Extending such medications beyond the prescription timeline can result in unnecessary side effects. While there are newer medication options that show promising results on long-term usage, some medications still show limited evidence of safety for longer usage. Consulting a medical expert is important, who can weigh the potential risks and benefits to recommend the right sleeping medication and a tailored treatment plan for your condition. You need to follow their instructions and restrictions throughout the entire duration of the treatment. Your doctor can lower or increase the dosage based on your response and tolerance to the medicine for a positive outcome.

Report Your Doctor Upon Encountering Side-effects

If you struggle to work or feel dizzy or sleepy during the day, you should ask your doctor for an alternative treatment approach. Your medical expert can change the dosage or take it off to minimize the side effects and maximize the benefits. Prescription drugs can cause common side effects like headache, bloating, nausea, constipation, and dizziness, which tend to be mind and subside within a few days as you adjust to the medication. However, if you experience any severe side effects that are rare but can come with debilitating symptoms, you should seek professional help immediately. While some people never encounter any side effects, others tend to face severe symptoms like allergies, rashes, facial swelling, breathing problems, or loss of hearing. Hence, seeking medical advice as soon as you experience any of them is essential.

Avoid mixing Medications or Alcohol While using Sleep Aids.

According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, mixing certain medications, especially sleeping pills, with excessive alcohol can lead to dangerous repercussions. Both alcohol and sleep drugs tend to produce sedative and hypnotic effects, which, when combined, disrupt your brain's ability to signal or read actions, making you feel drowsy. Drinking excessive alcohol while using sleeping medications can lead to overdose, injuries, and even memory loss. By impairing your motor function and coordination, this combination together can lead to accidents. When taken together, alcohol and sleep aids can cause balance issues and breathing problems, resulting in fatal consequences. Further, alcohol can interfere with the effectiveness of the medicine, worsening your sleep quality and increasing snoring and sleep apnoea.

Don't Discontinue Without Consulting Your Doctor

If you're taking a sleeping medication for an extended period, you cannot stop taking the drug abruptly without consulting your doctor. If you discontinue your sleeping pill suddenly, it can lead to withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, nausea, and muscle cramps. While not everyone experiences withdrawal symptoms, it highly depends on the kind of drug you are taking, how often, and the period for which you are taking it. But instead of taking matters into your own hands, you can always ask your doctor who will take the dosage and eventually lower it enough towards discontinuation. Doctors recommend gradually reducing the frequency, skipping it a few nights alternatively, and eventually weaning it off.

Conclusion

Therefore, before taking any sleep medicine, consult your doctor for the correct dosage and administration guidelines to prevent unnecessary side effects. To avoid overdose or withdrawal symptoms, consult a doctor who can recommend sleep hygiene tips along with proper medication dosages to get your sleep cycle back on track. However, if you have severe insomnia, sleeping pills might not be the solution, as they are used for short-term relief and cannot treat the cause of your insomnia. However, you can incorporate some lifestyle modifications combined with sleep aids to bring noticeable changes in your sleep health.