Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders in the UK. It is estimated that more than seven million people suffer from it. And that is just the inveterate insomniacs. Millions more suffer from bouts of insomnia throughout their lives.
What causes insomnia? There are dozens of explanations. And most of them can be placed into one of three categories: behavioural, physical or psychological. But whatever the cause, doctors typically have a single solution — sleeping aids. Each year, insomniacs in the UK spend hundreds of millions of pounds on them.
The two most common classes of sleeping pills are benzodiazepines and barbiturates. As you might expect, both classes of drug are quite effective at inducing sleep. But they do have side effects , sometimes even serious ones.
For one thing, all benzodiazepines are addictive. Yes, the package may read that they may be habit-forming. But they are just plain addictive. In fact, even some of the most popular brands of over-the-counter and prescription sleeping aids list numerous side effects.
The following is a brief list of the most common ones: constipation, dizziness, headache, changes in appetite, weakness, nightmares, stomach pain, shaking and general body discomfort. Sleeping pills should never be taken with alcohol or with other drugs because of the risk of dangerous drug interactions.
On the bright side, a number of new non-habit forming sleeping pills have come on to the market over the last few years. These drugs are said to have fewer side effects and are reportedly safer than their predecessors.