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Sleep Aids And Stimulants

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Insomnia Treatment: Sleep Aids and Stimulants

Medical Author: John P. Cunha, DO
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

What is insomnia and what causes it?

Insomnia is difficulty in falling or staying asleep, the absence of restful sleep, or poor quality of sleep. Insomnia is a symptom and not a disease. The most common causes of insomnia are:

  • medications,

  • psychological conditions (for example, depression, anxiety),

  • environmental changes (for example, travel, jet lag, or altitude changes), and

  • stressful events.

Insomnia can also be caused by faulty sleeping habits such as excessive daytime naps or caffeine consumption.

Insomnia may be classified by how long the symptoms are present.

  • Transient insomnia usually is due to situational changes such as travel, extreme climate changes, and stressful events. It lasts for less than a week or until the stressful event is resolved.

  • Short-term insomnia usually is due to ongoing stressful events, medication side effects, medical conditions, and lasts for one to three weeks

  • Chronic insomnia (long-term insomnia) often results from depression or substance abuse and continues for more than three weeks.

Transient insomnia may progress to short-term insomnia and without adequate treatment, short-term insomnia may become chronic insomnia.

Among the medications and substances that can contribute to insomnia are:

  • caffeine and coffee,

  • tobacco,

  • alcohol,

  • decongestants (for example, pseudoephedrine),

  • diuretics [for example, furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (Dyazide)] especially if taken in the evening or at bedtime,

  • antidepressants [for example, bupropion (Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL, Zyban), fluoxetine (Prozac)],

  • appetite suppressants [for example, sibutramine (Meridia), phentermine (Fastin)], and

  • amphetamines.

Insomnia also may be the result of withdrawal from:
  • benzodiazepines [for example, diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), lorazepam (Ativan)],

  • alcohol,

  • antihistamines,

  • amphetamines,

  • cocaine,

  • marijuana, and

  • other addicting drugs.


Next: What are non-drug treatments for insomnia? »

Last Editorial Review: 11/19/2007

Source: MedicineNet.com
http://www.medicinenet.com/sleep_aids_and_stimulants/article.htm

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