Do OTC Sleep Aids Work?

There are many people who suffer from insomnia and insomnia is one of the most frustrating things that plague people. It should be easy to sleep, and usually nothing comes more naturally than sleep does. Yet sometimes, you find yourself tired and wanting to sleep, but unable to.

If you are one of the many people who experience insomnia, one option you can try is to over the counter sleep aids. These OTC sleep aids are usually available at pharmacies and are easy to find. While they usually work well, and can help you get to sleep within a short period of time, they also can have some side effects that you should know about.

One of the biggest issues most people have with sleeping pills, is the prolonged drowsiness. When you wake up the next day, you usually will feel extremely groggy and it’s a struggle to get up. You may have a hard time functioning that day, or end up taking a nap at a different time which can mess up your sleep schedule even more.

There’s no known way to avoid this side effect. Some people try to simply overpower it with caffeine from a morning cup of coffee. While that’s not going to cause any serious harm in the short-term, it does send confusing signals to your body. If you have to use OTC sleep aids a lot, it could cause problems.

Over the counter sleeping pills are only meant to be used for two or three nights in a row, at the most. If you are having trouble sleeping past for a longer period of time, then you should talk to a doctor. It can be tempting to just keep using the sleep aids because it is easier, but that doesn’t mean it is a good idea.

Not only do you risk developing a dependency on sleep aids if you continue, but you also may be ignoring the symptoms of a more serious illness. So, if you need to sleep for a night or two, don’t hesitate to use sleep aids - but beyond that, be careful.