You can get both natural sleep aids and pharmaceutical ones in a few different varieties, and it is important to get information on all of your options before committing to any of them. Hopefully this article can help inform you about the pros and cons of different sleeping aids and insomnia treatments and help you make a decision.
There are two different types of pharmaceutical sleeping aids being used in North America, benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics. The most common of the first group are Valium and Xanax, which are used to treat the anxiety which causes insomnia. Non-benzodiazepines like Ambien take a more direct route in inducing sleep. Though the success rate of both of these types of drugs for insomnia treatment is relatively high, so are the rates of reported side effects. Both groups of drugs cannot be taken by anyone with a kidney or liver disorder, and are counter recommended for any person with a respiratory condition. The list of side effects includes things you would expect like daytime drowsiness and confusion, but in addition to this major personality change, blurred vision, lack of coordination, loss of sex drive jaundice (yellowing of the skin) and even an increase in insomnia have been reported with the use of benzodiazepines and/or non-benzodiazepines. There is a risk of addiction, dependency overdose and rebound insomnia associated with their use as well. It is important to consider the use of these sleeping aids carefully, especially if you have not yet tried any of the alternatives.
Taking melatonin via supplement is a treatment option you may want to consider, though this is not a natural sleep aid. Melatonin is a hormone, the release of which seems to be triggered by darkness and continues at high levels during sleep. The production and release of melatonin may be what is responsible for maintaining your internal clock. Though increasing levels of melatonin has a subdued positive effect on all forms of insomnia, it is a far more effective sleep aid to those suffering from low levels of melatonin. Synthetic melatonin has not yet been approved by the FDA, and many of the short and long term effects are still unknown.
Natural sleep aids made of herbal ingredients have been around for a long time, and the formulas are constantly being updated and improved. Valerian root, Chamomile and St. John's Wort are all herbs which have been used for centuries to treat sleeping problems successfully. Combinations of extracts of these herbs in natural sleep aids have shown to be very effective in most cases. Though not as powerful as a prescription sleeping aid, natural sleep aids rarely have any side effects and the ones reported are always very mild. Additionally they are not addictive and show little to no risk for dependency.
Magnesium supplements are often sold as natural sleep aids, but the success rate for these supplements is low. A magnesium deficiency can cause a wide range of problems including insomnia, but a magnesium based sleeping aid will only be effective if you are suffering from a magnesium deficiency. In the vast majority of cases of insomnia a magnesium deficiency is not the cause.
So, as far as a sleeping aid goes these are your options. Besides sleeping aids there are other things you can attempt in order to get to sleep. Things like flipping the mattress, eliminating noise and getting an appropriate temperature are obvious, but there are a few other tricks. If you are having trouble sleeping you can pretend it is time to wake up, for some reason many people feel the most tired when they know they can't sleep. Warm milk with honey helps as well, and you can get up for fifteen minutes then return to bed. If stress and anxiety are at the root of the insomnia there are relaxation techniques you can try, and if these don't work cognitive therapy might be advised.