Sleep Medicine

Good Evening everyone. My friend Dr. Narcolepsy is here and we’ve been talking about sleep medicine. Since he owns a sleep center and has specialized employees that treat insomnia, restlessness and other chronic symptoms of sleep problems, he has information on natural sleep medicines. Utilizing herbs, amino acids and minerals creates an effective reliable and safe sleep medicine alternative for those suffering from sleep disorders.

Dr. Narcolepsy asks “How long has it been since you had a really good night sleep? Although many people don’t realize it, the quality of sleep can affect your mood, health and your job. You may feel exhausted, restless, stressed and not productive at work. Your personal and professional relationships may suffer. As we age, our lifestyles and our bodies change (well those of us that are not undead), our quality of sleep can change too. That is why it is necessary to get a sound sleep naturally to maintain optimal health for people of all ages”

“Natural sleep disorder medicine is available without a prescription. As we know prescription sleep aides are narcotics that not only cause a dependency, but can cause other serious side effects. Natural sleep medicine has minimal side effects and you don’t wake up groggy and disoriented that’s associated with prescription drugs.” Dr Narcolepsy said.

“For example,” he continued. “Take LUNESTA, Melatonin, Antihistamines aka Tylenol PM Etc. and compare them for fun... humor me.”

“When taking LUNESTA you may experience:

• unpleasant taste in mouth, dry mouth
• morning drowsiness
• dizziness
• headache
• symptoms of the common cold
• You may still feel drowsy the next day after taking LUNESTA. Do not drive or do other dangerous activities after taking LUNESTA until you feel fully awake.
These are just some of the side effects of LUNESTA. Ask your doctor for more information.

Possible serious side effects of LUNESTA include:
• Getting out of bed while not being fully awake and doing an activity you do not know you are doing.
• Abnormal thoughts and behavior. Symptoms include more outgoing or aggressive behavior than normal, confusion, agitation, hallucinations, worsening of depression, and suicidal thoughts or actions.
• Memory loss
• Anxiety
• Severe allergic reactions. Symptoms include swelling of the tongue or throat, trouble breathing, and nausea and vomiting. Get emergency medical help if you get these symptoms after taking LUNESTA.
• Abuse (taking more than prescribed) amnesia and hallucinations have been reported.
• Addiction. LUNESTA may lead to physical and psychological dependence. The risk of abuse and dependence increases with the dose and duration of treatment.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone secreted from the pineal gland in our brain. It regulates our bodies’ internal clock or circadian rhythm i.e. when it's time to go to sleep and when it's time to wake up.
Melatonin is herbal sleep medicine and probably the most widely prescribed among herbal non prescription sleep aids. Even 15% of pediatricians who prescribe sleep aids for children with insomnia recommend melatonin as a natural pediatric sleep medicine, according to the medical journal Pediatrics (2002).

• Its synthetic form is available in many brands; AVOID natural forms that are basically melatonin derived from animal’s pineal glands due to possible contamination
• Side effects that are common are daytime drowsiness headaches, dizziness, a "heavy-head" feeling, stomach discomfort
• It may interact with common drugs

Antihistamines

How do they work? These antihistamines are very popular not just because they are effective for your cough and allergies. You recover faster because the “benefit” of their side effect of prolonged drowsiness “forces” your body to rest and recover. In the same way, you are basically using the drowsiness side effect to get you to sleep

Popular brands are:
• Sominex, Nytol, Tylenol PM, Benadryl
• Unisom, Equate

Common side effects:
• Prolonged drowsiness or hangover effect that impairs driving, etc
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Reduced alertness
• Vomiting




Racing heartbeat and constipation are also becoming frequent complaints in this group of non prescription sleep aids.

However, there are certain groups of people who cannot use the antihistamines as a non prescription sleep aid. As with any medication, they are not for pregnant or nursing women due to unknown risk of drug transfer to the fetus and young infant on mother’s milk.

You are advised against taking Sominex, Nytol if you have:

• Heart problems
• Glaucoma
• Enlarged Prostate

Unisom, you can’t even take them if you’ve got asthma or bronchitis.

Other precautions when you take the antihistamines.

Avoid alcohol. It increases the sedative effects of the pills. Even a small amount of alcohol combined with sleep aids can make you feel dizzy, confused or faint.

Never mix with a sleeping pill, sedative, tranquilizer, or another antihistamine. This could lead to dangerous drug-drug interaction outcomes.”

“As you can see this is a very good reason the undead came out of the coffin and started drinking synthetic blood, a lot of human blood is contaminated with chemicals and diseases.” The doctor stated.

“Natural sleep aides not only treat insomnia, restlessness, light sleep or frequent waking it also helps with jet lag.

Other herbs and minerals that aid sleep are:

Hops Herb has been known to be beneficial in the treatment of insomnia and sleep disorders because of its calming effect. Hops herb helps the body with pain and insomnia. Hops are rich in nutrients that nourish the nervous system.

Passion Flower which increases the level of a neurotransmitter known as gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA). And decreases the activity of nerve cells in the brain which helps the brain to relax. With total relaxation during sleep, GABA promotes re-energization. It helps with the release of growth hormone (which is responsible for repair of the body) and allows you to feel rested and alert upon waking.

L-Theanine helps with the production of alpha brain waves, which help promote deep relaxation in the body. In addition, it is also responsible for producing mental alterness. The natural ingredient helps increase dopamine in the body, and has been shown to be helpful in enhancing memory, enhancing learning ability and helping high blood pressure return to normal. It successfully allows for an increase in focus and concentration, while promoting relaxation.

Chamomile It’s one of nature’s oldest herbal sleep aid used for centuries. It is best known as one of the gentlest non prescription sleep aids around. The active ingredients are chrysin and apigenin, believed to reduce restlessness helping one feel more relaxed and more prepared to sleep.

Valerian is a plant; its active ingredient is still unclear therefore how it works is unclear too. Valerian appears to increase the body's available supply of the neurotransmitter gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA). It’s generally thought to help reduce the time to get to sleep.

Valerian is less effective than prescription sleep medication. One possible advantage of valerian, however, is that it does not seem to cause as much of a "hangover" effect the next day. Also, people taking sleeping pills sometimes have a temporary worsening of insomnia when they are discontinued (rebound insomnia), an effect that hasn't been reported with valerian”.

“Most of the times, getting to sleep can be solved by listening to some soft music and a glass of warm blood (I mean milk or wine) and a hot bath. But for those with a sleep disorder a natural sleep medicine should help you get to sleep without the worry of dependency or serious side effects.” Dr Narcolepsy concluded.

“Thank you Dr Narcolepsy that was very informative and since the sun is rising, I must say good day until we meet again.”
Rose Sheepskill