The 5 types of sleeping pills (and their characteristics)

According to reports from the World Health Organization (WHO), 40% of the world's population has some type of sleep disorder. This figure (astronomical as it is) is not surprising, since the difficulty in falling asleep depends on factors that are the order of the day today. Some of the most common are depression, anxiety, constant worries or, failing that, prolonged exposure to agents that distract us at bedtime (such as mobile phones and tablets).

As indicated by medical organizations, an adult human being should sleep 7 to 9 hours a day, while a 14 to 17 year old adolescent should increase this interval to 8-10 hours if possible. As you can imagine, not everyone reaches these figures on a regular basis: for example, in the United States up to 70 million adults suffer from some form of insomnia.

This is where sleeping pills come in, a class of psychoactive drugs whose main function is to induce sleep of who consumes them. Here are the 5 types of sleeping pills (including over-the-counter ones) and their characteristics. Do not miss it.

• We recommend you read: "12 Ways to Fight Insomnia Effectively"

How are sleeping pills classified?

First of all, it is necessary to emphasize that sleeping pills are drugs in the class of hypnotics, with the basic functions of inducing sleep at home or promoting anesthesia in a surgical setting. These drugs are closely related to sedatives, but they don't do exactly the same job.

A sedative (or anxiolytic) is taken with the idea of ​​reducing stress, anxiety, hypochondria and alleviating physiological effects derived from these emotional states, among which is involuntary muscle contraction (they are muscle relaxants). Therefore, although many of the drugs that we are going to expose you are also used for depression and anxiety, you should bear in mind that they are not consumed in the same way or with the same purpose.

Based on this premise, we always clarify that these types of opportunities serve as a general guide, but not much less replace a visit to a psychologist or psychiatrist: if you feel signs of insomnia or other disorders emotional, go to the doctor before giving yourself a treatment. Once this front has been clarified, we will tell you the 5 most common types of sleeping pills.

1. Over-the-counter sleeping pills

We rely on the indications of the Mayo Clinic (an American clinical entity) to show you the benefits and shortcomings of over-the-counter sleeping pills. First of all, you should keep in mind that none of them are miraculous and their effect is very limitedas they are sold without a prescription. Some of them are shown in the following list:

• Diphenhydramine: an antihistamine, sedative and hypnotic drug. In addition to inducing sleep, it is useful against certain symptoms in allergic patients.
• Doxylamine succinate: It is used for the treatment of short-term insomnia, although it is also included in the management of coughs and minor colds.
• Melatonin: it is a hormone that occurs naturally in our body from tryptophan. It helps regulate the biological clock, among other things.
• Valerian: it is the extract of a perennial herbaceous plant. Many argue that it helps to fall asleep.

Many sources claim that natural medications like valerian can help you fall asleep, but other research has not have been able to find reliable correlations, since in certain patients there are no differences between the administration of valerian or a placebo. Is the effect 100% real or does the auto-suggestion of those who consume the drug play an important part? We cannot give you a sure answer, but clearly none of these medications is a substitute for the ones that follow.

Something similar happens with melatonin. It is argued that it is "possibly effective" in avoiding the effects of jet lag and insomnia, but to say that it works 100% of the time is not the truth. The drug is as important as the dose prescribed for each person and the time of administration, so if not a medical professional controls the intakes and makes a specific follow-up of the patient, the positive effect may be null.

2. Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines or benzos (alprazolam, lorazepam, diazepam, bromazepam and many more) are generally used to treat generalized anxiety symptoms. They are central nervous system (CNS) depressants, as they enhance inhibition mediated by GABA, a neurotransmitter that reduces CNS activity and blocks certain signals from the brain.

This pharmacological action causes in the patient a reduction in heart rate and blood pressure, which translates into greater peace of mind and ease of falling asleep. Unfortunately, their use cannot be prolonged: they cause addiction, tolerance and a rebound effect if abused. Therefore, it is not recommended to continue with a treatment for more than 2 weeks and, if this is necessary, the doses should be gradually reduced by 25%.

3. Barbiturates

Barbiturates are another family of central nervous system depressant drugs, which have effects of varying intensity, from relaxation to total anesthesia. Phenobarbital is one of the best known hypnotics in the medical field, since it is used to fall asleep and control anxiety, but also to control seizures and to alleviate dependency reactions in people addicted to substances.

Anyway, barbiturates are no longer used in general pharmacology. They sometimes have overly powerful side effects, are highly addictive, and an overdose can be life-threatening. For this reason, these drugs have been replaced in almost all cases by benzodiazepines.

4. Methaqualone

Methaqualone is a drug with sedative and hypnotic activity similar to barbiturates, since it is another of the famous central nervous system depressants. It is one of the drugs for insomnia best known by the elderly, as it reached its peak of use in the 60s and 70s, where it was used without much regulation to alleviate the boxes of insomnia. To this day, part of its consumption is done illegally for recreational purposes, since benzodiazepines have completely overshadowed methaqualone.

Its effects are similar to those of other previously described drugs: reduced heart rate, paresthesia (numbness and tingling of the feet and hands) and drowsiness. Again, it also reports the typical risks of any CNS depressant drug, since an overdose is very dangerous and generates addiction if consumed regularly.

5. Antidepressants

Insomnia can be initial (difficulty falling asleep) or maintenance (inability to stay asleep), but in both cases stress, anxiety, intrusive thoughts and the inability to manage emotions are usually clear triggers. Therefore, it is not surprising that antidepressants are used many times to treat insomnia, along with other effects derived from anxiety-depression disorders.

Tricyclic sedative-type antidepressants (doxepin and trimipramine) and non-tricyclics (trazodone, mianserin, and mirtazapine) are often the most prescribed drugs to treat insomnia at long term. In insomnia secondary to a depressive disorder, the patient is prescribed the usual doses in specific doses, While if this occurs chronically, the dose is usually reduced and its administration is advised before to sleep.

Resume

As you can see, the world of sleeping pills and their types has a clear maximum exponent: Benzodiazepines take the crown for use and effectiveness, as they are the most prescribed to manage nervous conditions in the short term. Since its appearance and branching based on the requirements of the patient, barbiturates, methaqualone and many other drugs have fallen into oblivion. These types of more powerful drugs are currently only used in specific cases or, failing that, to promote sedation in surgical settings through the intravenous route.

Unfortunately, benzodiazepines create long-term tolerance and dependence. Therefore, any treatment for insomnia that requires its use must be subject to medical prescription and be controlled by a professional at all times. Its use should never be prolonged (even interrupted) for more than 8 weeks.