Occasional Xanax Use For Sleep
The best sleeping pill will depend on a person’s sleep patterns and needs. People with insomnia and those with jet lag, for instance, may benefit from different medications. Learn about the. Abrupt discontinuation of Xanax, when used for sleep, has been associated with rebound insomnia that may be worse than the initial sleeping problem. Avoid combining Xanax with opioids such as oxycodone or hydrocodone. Profound sedation, respiratory depression (abnormally slow and shallow breathing), coma, and death may result. During that time, if anxiety is severe and debilitating, benzodiazepines may be prescribed for temporary use. Benzos are also prescribed for occasional situations of high anxiety, such as that.
How They Work to Cure Sleeplessness
A few of the most popularly prescribed sleep aids fall into the family of pharmaceuticals called, benzodiazepines. These potent drugs produce a sedative effect that’s useful for treating insomnia. But the chemical mechanism makes them useful in many other medical applications including, treatment for anxiety and seizures (Valium and Ativan, for example), and as a sedative and anesthetic for some medical procedures.
Common benzodiazepine sleep medications include:
How Benzodiazepines Work
First, benzodiazepines have been on the open market since the late 1960s. Valium was one of the first and has continued to be popular as a tranquilizer and sedative. So how do they work in your brain?
The neurological processes in your brain are complex and your natural sleep-wake cycle is a part of them. When your sleep is disturbed not only is the loss of sleep a nuisance, but it can take a toll on your physiological state and even be a root cause for some medical problems further down the road. Essentially your biological clock that usually runs in sync with the natural world automatically creates rhythmic rises and falls in brain melatonin, a natural sleep chemical. When you experience insomnia this natural process is disrupted: you could be challenged with falling asleep, staying asleep, or going back to sleep early in the morning—all of which have to do with melatonin production, plus.
Benzodiazepines bind with the GABA receptor in your brain, a neurotransmitter, to increase a chemical that inspires drowsiness or sedation. Most benzos are very quick to act and have a brief half-life that makes them particularly useful for treating sleep onset insomnia or middle insomnia (trouble staying asleep, or waking in the middle of the night).
Treating Insomnia with Benzodiazepines
In the past physicians have been quick to treat insomnia pharmacologically, with prescribed sleep aids or hypnotics. Benzodiazepines have been useful particularly as anti-anxiety drugs and a growing number of non-benzodiazepines are widely prescribed for insomnia: Ambien, Lunesta, and Sonata. While structurally distinctive these non-benzo sleep aids work in much the same way, by stimulating your brain’s neurotransmitter responsible for production of a sedating chemical.
Most benzodiazepines however are useful short-term—your insomnia needs a short and quick jolt to get you back on track. Benzodiazepines work quickly to put you to sleep, so no more long and frustrating wakefulness before falling asleep (sleep latency), then keep you asleep, freeing you also from waking.
Side Effects and Risks Associated with Benzo Use
Benzodiazepine sleep medications are only to be used under the direction of a physician. They can be habit-forming and are typically only licensed for short-term treatment. There are risks for withdrawal if used for more than 2 weeks and your doctor should wean you from them gradually. Side effects can include headaches, nausea, confusion, dizziness and drowsiness, depression, and many more serious problems. Benzos are also commonly abused and easily overdosed.
These Things Helped Me Sleep Well
With Benadryl, sleep aid is an off-label use of the allergy treatment product. Most people can take Benadryl as a sleep aid occasionally, but there are risks and side effects. If you are thinking about taking Benadryl to fall asleep or stay asleep, you should be aware of the risks.
In the US and Canada, the active ingredient in Benadryl products is diphenhydramine, an allergy treatment and first generation anti-histamine, well-known for its sedative effects.
Products marketed under the brand name in the United Kingdom contain either cetrizine or acrivastine, which are second-generation antihistamines and do not have sedative effects. They are strictly used for the relief of allergies, including skin allergies like hives.
All of the antihistamines will also help relieve the sting or itch of bug bites. There are topical ointments specifically designed for those purposes. It is important to note that the topical ointments contain additional ingredients that could be toxic if taken by mouth.
Diphenhydramine is also the active ingredient in many over-the-counter sleep aids, including Unisom gel caps, Nytol and the US version of Sominex. There is no actual Benadryl sleep aid. Nothing marketed strictly as a sleep aid bears the brand name.
To use Benadryl as a sleep aid is not what the company intended. The company could not be held responsible for any adverse effects resulting from the use of that brand as a sedative.
Other products that contain diphenhydramine include Tylenol PM, Midol PM and Advil PM. Pain relievers are ingredients in those products. They contain acetaminophen or ibuprofen, which are also accompanied by risks and adverse side effects. No drugs are completely safe.
If you take Benadryl as a sleep aid, the maximum recommended dose is 50-100mg. The USFDA mandates 50mg. South Africa, the UK, Australia and New Zealand permit a dosage of up to 100mg.
You should check the label of any product you decide to use and follow the manufacturer’s dosage directions. Overdose of diphenhydramine is uncommon.
Overdose of other over-the-counter drugs such as acetaminophen is very common. The drug results in more calls to US poison control centers than any other. An untreated acetaminophen overdose can lead to liver failure and death within days.
It would take a very large dose of a Benadryl sleep aid to damage the liver. But it can cause even more serious side effects at moderate doses, depending on a person’s age and general health. The common side effects of diphenhydramine include:
Occasional Xanax Use For Sleep Deprivation
- Increased heart rate
- Flushing
- Blurred vision
- Irregular breathing
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Loss or lack of motor coordination and balance
- Delirium
- Constipation
- Urinary retention
- Dry mouth and throat
- Irritability
- Cold hands or feet
Xanax Dose For Sleep
In addition, there is a risk of allergic reaction, which can result in hives. In most cases diphenhydramine relieves allergy symptoms, but it has been known to cause itchy skin, runny nose and hyperactivity instead of sedation.
How you will respond to a Benadryl as a sleep aid is not something that can be determined ahead of time. That’s why we say the drug is safe for “most” people to use for difficulty sleeping, but only on an occasional basis.
If you took it for more than three days, you would develop a tolerance for the sedative effect. You would have to take more to achieve the desired result.
Finally, the drug causes residual sedation the following day, which could impair your ability to operate a motor vehicle. Use extra care and caution if you decide to take Benadryl as a sleep aid. The drug is not without risks. As always, consult your doctor before taking medications.
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