2008 Woodie Awards
Sleep aids can be unsafe
By Sarah Poulton
Rocket Assistant Ad Manager
Issue date: 2/10/06 Section: News
Sleep is as essential to one's body as food, air and water, and according to a study by the University of Michigan's Health Service, college students are sleeping less than 6.5 hours per night.
The study stated that many of these students are suffering from insomnia, which is a symptom, not a disease. Insomnia simply means difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep and the absence of restful sleep or poor quality of sleep.
There are many different cures including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and home remedies that have proven to be effective in treating insomnia. As per most medications, there are pros and cons to them all.
Lunesta and Ambien are two of the common prescription strength sleep aids on the market. According to its Web site, Lunesta is a prescription sleep aid that can give users the undisturbed sleep they need. It is advertised as being unique because it helps users sleep through the night with fewer interruptions, does not lose its effectiveness over time and is approved for long-term use.
Lunesta's Web site does not say that the active ingredient, eszopiclone, causes dizziness and drowsiness, should not be taken with alcohol and may cause withdrawal symptoms if treatment is stopped abruptly after one to two weeks, according to Drugs.com.
Drugs.com also said that eszopiclone also may cause amnesia, passes through breast milk and can complicate sleep after use stops.
Other possible side effects include allergic reactions, outgoing or aggressive behavior, confusion, agitation, hallucinations and new feelings of depression.
Drugs.com also said eszopiclone can be habit-forming and may also cause "rebound insomnia," if not taken with caution.
Ambien's Web site describes the drug as being a dual-layer tablet that helps users fall asleep and stay asleep for up to seven hours.
It says that Ambien works with neurotransmitters inside the brain to decrease electrical activity in select brain cells, as opposed to older sleep aids which cannot target select brain cells, resulting in a greater chance of side-effects. The listed side effects of Ambien are similar to those of Lunesta.
The study stated that many of these students are suffering from insomnia, which is a symptom, not a disease. Insomnia simply means difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep and the absence of restful sleep or poor quality of sleep.
There are many different cures including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and home remedies that have proven to be effective in treating insomnia. As per most medications, there are pros and cons to them all.
Lunesta and Ambien are two of the common prescription strength sleep aids on the market. According to its Web site, Lunesta is a prescription sleep aid that can give users the undisturbed sleep they need. It is advertised as being unique because it helps users sleep through the night with fewer interruptions, does not lose its effectiveness over time and is approved for long-term use.
Lunesta's Web site does not say that the active ingredient, eszopiclone, causes dizziness and drowsiness, should not be taken with alcohol and may cause withdrawal symptoms if treatment is stopped abruptly after one to two weeks, according to Drugs.com.
Drugs.com also said that eszopiclone also may cause amnesia, passes through breast milk and can complicate sleep after use stops.
Other possible side effects include allergic reactions, outgoing or aggressive behavior, confusion, agitation, hallucinations and new feelings of depression.
Drugs.com also said eszopiclone can be habit-forming and may also cause "rebound insomnia," if not taken with caution.
Ambien's Web site describes the drug as being a dual-layer tablet that helps users fall asleep and stay asleep for up to seven hours.
It says that Ambien works with neurotransmitters inside the brain to decrease electrical activity in select brain cells, as opposed to older sleep aids which cannot target select brain cells, resulting in a greater chance of side-effects. The listed side effects of Ambien are similar to those of Lunesta.
