Sleep medication is necessary if one really wants to improve the quality and quantity of his sleep or if he experiences insomnia or occasional sleeplessness. There are medications which one cannot purchase if he has no prescription from the doctor but there are also medications which can be bought online or in stores without a prescription. These are called the over the counter sleep medication.
Over the counter sleep medication are drugs which the FDA regulated as “over the counter” and may be taken by people aged 12 and above. The most common type is the sleeping pills. These are the drugs which usually contain antihistamine which have the capacity of producing drowsiness. It may be a sleep aid which has the antihistamine type called diphenhydramine hydrochloride, doxylamine succinate, or diphenhydramine citrate. Unisom Sleeptabs and Nighttime Sleep aid are the brands which contain doxylamine succinate while Nytol, Sominex, Compoz, and Benadryl are the brands which contain diphenhydramine citrate. There are also herbal medications or supplements which one may take. He may use chamomile, passion flower, valerian root, or patrinia root. These herbs are usually in the form of capsules or teas. What are the possible effects of these medications?
An over the counter sleep medication has the capacity to lessen insomnia and is more effective when taken cautiously for short term instances. This may also be used at the commencement of a behavioral treatment for insomnia. It may also be used “as needed” over a long term period so long as the instructions for the medications are carefully examined and followed.