The short answer to this question is: it depends.
That's because there are different types of insomnia and each person will have different needs. What works for you may not work for a colleague or family member, for example. Therefore, the best person to answer what the best medication for insomnia is for your case is a specialized healthcare professional.
Although seeking a healthcare professional is the most recommended approach when deciding to take any sleep medication, many Brazilians are doing this on their own, especially after the pandemic. According to a recent study, about 35% of people who use some type of insomnia medication do not have a prescription for it.
To understand the dangers of using insomnia medication without guidance from a healthcare professional, let's understand how each of them works:
Medications commonly used for insomnia treatment
One of the most well-known types of insomnia medication is what we call sedatives, medications that require a medical prescription to purchase and that act on brain activity, causing relaxation and helping with sleep onset and maintenance. The most commonly used sedative in this class is Zolpidem, but its use should be short-term to avoid problems with dependence and/or tolerance to the medication.
Another favorite, which gained even more popularity after recent approval by Brazil's health regulatory agency (Anvisa), is Melatonin. Also known as "the sleep hormone," Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by our body, but it can be supplemented in very specific cases. Read more about melatonin here.
Another well-known category consists of medications that mimic the effect of natural melatonin, called melatonin receptor agonists.
Sedative antidepressants can also be used in the treatment of insomnia, since some promote sleep onset due to their antihistamine effect (similar to the effect of allergy medications). It is very common for patients with depression or anxiety to also suffer from insomnia. In these cases, the healthcare professional may choose to use just one drug to treat both conditions in that patient.
Over-the-counter insomnia medication
In addition to Melatonin, which can be purchased without a prescription in Brazil, there are several medication options that can help treat insomnia and do not require a prescription. Does this mean a person can start taking them on their own? No, because even those that seem harmless can have consequences for your health.
Antihistamines, for example, are medications used for allergic reactions, but they can cause drowsiness in some people and are therefore mistakenly used to help induce sleep.
Herbal remedies are also widely used in the search for relaxation at bedtime, but they also need to be carefully analyzed, mainly because there is no standardization of production, active ingredient, or dosage in this category. Chamomile and passion fruit in excess in our body can cause a stimulating effect, for example, and then falling or staying asleep can be even more difficult.
Are insomnia medications addictive?
First, it's important to understand that habit is different from dependence.
A habit is characterized by a bad practice that causes harm to the person. In these cases, there is no total submission to the habit, although its recurrence is noticeable.
When we talk about dependence, the person is totally subjected to something, as is the case with users of illicit substances, such as cocaine.
Those who use insomnia medications, especially without guidance from a healthcare professional, run the risk of becoming dependent on the medication, which is when the person can only sleep when using the medication. In these cases, the person may lose control over drug use, as happens with cocaine.
Another very common consequence for those who use sleep medications is the development of tolerance to the medication, which is when you need increasingly higher doses to achieve the desired effect.
See how important it is to be monitored by a healthcare professional?
What is the best treatment for insomnia?
And if you've read this far and are wondering whether medication is the best choice for you, know that according to the main consensus guidelines worldwide, the best treatment for insomnia does not necessarily involve the use of medication. We're talking about CBT-I, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, which has over 40 years of proven scientific evidence in treating insomnia and is considered the gold standard treatment for this condition. Learn more about CBT-I by clicking here.
Regardless of the path you choose, remember to seek a healthcare professional to help you on this journey toward more peaceful nights. And if you want to try CBT-I in a 100% digital format, check out our app by clicking the button below. Results are visible as early as the 2nd week.
