Ben Menoza

A while back, I posted a question on Twitter about suggestions for sleep aids, and I received a surprising number of responses. Here’s the rundown:

Alcohol
According to this article, while alcohol is widely used as a sleep aid, it actually contributes to reduced, interrupted sleep. Admittedly, I’ve tried this technique with limited success, but I know that it does result in labored or disturbed breathing (and snoring).

Over-the-counter medicine
Benadryl and Tylenol PM (or Simply Sleep) were the two most popular answers, though NyQuil certainly falls under this category. The advantage of using these as sleep aids is that you can acquire them without a prescription. The disadvantage is that you’re taking the drugs for the side effects and not for their intended use, and oftentimes you’re not allowed to take the drugs for a prolonged period of time.

Prescription drugs
There are a number of prescription drugs that will help the sleep-deprived, but they carry warnings similar to or worse than any over-the-counter drug. And, like any drug, it’s recommended that the drugs not be taken for a prolonged period of time.

Melatonin
This was also a popular answer among my friends. Melatonin is actually a hormone produced by the brain that has a natural sedative effect. A synthesized form in caplets has many applications with various success. However, because Melatonin is considered a supplement and not a drug, the quality and potency can vary from product to product. Also, while the short-term side effects are consistent with any prescription or over-the-counter medication, the long-terms effect of taking Melatonin are unknown.

Conclusion
Any combination of these remedies is probably not recommended. For me, I find that Benadryl works the best, as long as I know I can devote a full night’s sleep. However, the ultimate cure is to alleviate whatever is causing the sleep-deprivation to begin with — stress, anxiety, to name a couple.