How To Sleep Better Without Medications

Believe it or not, pharmacists do not always recommend medications for common medical problems. Insomnia, defined as difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, or waking up too early is a common medical problem that can often be addressed without medications. Drugs like Ambien (zolpidem), Starnoc or Sonata (zaleplon), Imovane (zopiclone), benzodiazepines (end in lam or pam) such as Xanax (alprazolam), Ativan (lorazepam), as well as over the counter sleep aids, such as diphenhydramine, are the second step only if lifestyle measures fail.

Medications used directly to help sleep can either be expensive, habit-forming, cause excessive next-day grogginess or drowsiness or even all of the above. This is why it is important to ensure your lifestyle is helping and not hindering your sleep. This is called good sleep hygiene:

1) Establish a regular sleep schedule. This includes going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, including weekends!
2) Do something relaxing, as a habit, just before bed time. Reading a book, listening to soft music, taking a bath, can all help to condition your body to be ready for sleep.
3) Use your bed for sleep and intimate activity only!
4) Avoid bright lights and loud noise prior to bed.
5) Avoid caffeine, especially in the evening.
6) Alcohol makes many people drowsy, but drinking excessively before bedtime can lead to a wearing-off effect in the middle of the night, causing you to wake up too early!
7) Regular exercise is not only a good disease-preventer, but can also really help to improve your sleep. Just be sure to avoid exercise close to bedtime (specifically less than 4 hours).
8) Sometimes, drinking a warm glass of milk (contains tryptophan, the substance that makes you sleepy after thanksgiving dinner) can help you get to sleep faster.
9) Consider whether any of your medications may be affecting your sleep. Some can be stimulating and are best taken in the morning. Your pharmacist and doctor will be able to help schedule your medications to best help your sleep.
10) It is important to note that anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medications can help improve sleep indirectly by treating psychiatric conditions. So, if you feel that there is a long-term psychiatric problem (such as those related to mood, thoughts, nervousness) affecting your sleep, treatment from a physician should be sought.

If you have tried the above "sleep hygiene recommendations, and still have difficulty sleeping, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

Brad Langford, RPh, ACPR, is a Pharmacist, practicing in Toronto, Canada. For more information or to ask a medication question visit http://www.askyourpharmacist.ca

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