A sleep medication can mean a lot of different things, though most of us would think first of a benzodiazepine like Valium, or a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic like Ambien. The original sleep medication was opium, in fact the Greek god of sleep Hypnos is usually portrayed holding an opium poppy leaf. As you would imagine another early sleep medication was alcohol, which nearly everyone can agree makes a person drowsy. The problem with both of these, besides the negative effects outside of sleep, is that they result in very poor sleep quality. Early waking often occurs with both of them, especially when used to induce sleep over a long period of time. As most people know both of them are also quite addictive, especially anything which comes from the opium poppy.
Thankfully we've moved passed these sleep medications to far more sophisticated drugs; though a modern prescription sleep medication will also have many negative effects. My original example of a sleep medication, Valium, also has addictive properties and is commonly misused. Though rare, it is possible to overdose on Valium, but the main problem with using Valium as a sleep medication are all of the side effects. Confusion and personality change have been known to occur, as well as a whole list of other troubling side effects. There are a number of preexisting conditions which disqualify you from using Valium as a sleep medication, and the drug interacts with other pharmaceuticals.
The newer generation of sleep medications are at the moment simply known as non-benzodiazepine hypnotics. The most common example of these sleep medications is Ambien. There are pros and cons of Ambien use versus Valium and Xanax as a sleep medication. Ambien has shown to be more effective in treating insomnia, though the side effects are quite harsh, and can be even worse than Xanax. Memory loss is commonly reported with the use of Ambien as a sleep medication and personality change is also another troubling factor. Benzodiazepines like Xanax are difficult to overdose on whereas an overdose of Ambien can occur easily. A sleep medication which appears to be promising is known as Rozerem, because it does not show the same potential for addiction dependency or abuse, and the withdrawal symptoms are much milder than with Xanax, Valium or Ambien. However there are still many side effects and interactions to be considered when taking Rozerem.
Some of the best sleep medications are non-prescription, natural supplements. While they may not offer the same immediate feeling of relief as a prescription sleep medication, they do have a good track record in the treatment of insomnia and are far safer. Side effects are almost always nonexistent, and when they do occur they are always very mild. Natural sleep medications do not require a prescription and do not lend themselves to abuse or addiction. The chances of becoming dependent on a natural sleep medication are slim-to-none and there are never withdrawal symptoms. While severe cases of insomnia may require a prescription drug, many people taking them can get by with an improvement in diet, increase in physical activity, and if that fails a herbal supplement.