Taking medication to treat insomnia: What you need to know

The article is expertly advised by Mr. Resident Doctor Nguyen Thi Hoa - Consultant Psychologist, Psychological Clinic, Vinmec Times City International General Hospital.

When suffering from insomnia, patients often find themselves buying drugs to take with the aim of improving insomnia symptoms instead of going to a doctor and treating them as directed by a specialist.

Sleep plays an extremely important role in human health, helping the body to rest and restore energy after an active day.
Insomnia can occur at any age. If you lose sleep at a young age, it can have long-lasting effects later, especially in old age, sleep loss causes more serious harm. What to do when sleep loss for a long time causes more complicated and difficult diseases to treat, such as cardiovascular or psychiatric diseases, depression .
In fact, if the patient actively examines and learns well about sleep, he will better prevent insomnia, thereby using the drug more cautiously and effectively.

Here are some commonly used drugs in the treatment of insomnia:
Sedatives: Including drugs such as Diazepam, Bromazepam, Clonazepam, Rotunda,... The effect of these drugs is to help patients have Sleep almost instantly. However, these drugs should only be applied to short-term insomnia cases and the severity of the disease is not serious, because long-term use of tranquilizers will cause familiarity with the drug. At that time, even though the dose was increased, the patient still had insomnia. Note, should not use the group of tranquilizers more than 3 days. Because the drug has a side effect of memory loss.
Sleeping pills: Including drugs such as Phenobarbital, Zolpidem, ... This is a group of drugs with strong effects, however, they are also very familiar with drugs similar to tranquilizers. Therefore, this class of drugs is only used in cases of short and not severe insomnia. Note, also should not use this group of drugs more than 3 days. When used, the drug may cause some side effects such as dizziness, headache or digestive disorders... If you are worried about side effects, wonder what drug you take for insomnia, can you take this medicine? , it can be assured that when used for a short time, these side effects will also quickly disappear when the patient stops taking the drug. Antihistamines: Including drugs such as Promethazine, Dimedrol, Chlorpheniramine,... These are older generation antihistamines, anti-allergic and quite strong sleepers. The drug is indicated for use in patients with insomnia due to itching, scratching such as ringworm, eczema, leech nests, ... The drug causes some side effects such as dry mouth, dry nose, fatigue, affecting the skin. brain,... When using, sick people should note that they should not abuse it, but must use it under the direction of a doctor.

New neuroleptic drugs: Including drugs such as Olanzapine, Quetiapine, Amisulpride,... These are drugs with strong sleep-inducing effects. If used for a long time, it will cause fat because the patient feels good and eats more. The drug is indicated for use in cases of insomnia for anorexia nervosa, depression, generalized anxiety. Note, to avoid weight gain, when using these drugs, patients should abstain from substances that can cause weight gain such as carbohydrates, sweeteners, and fats, in addition, need to actively exercise and move the body. . Tricyclic and polycyclic antidepressants: Including drugs such as Clomipramine, Mirtazapine,... For long-term insomnia, you can take this drug because they act on the correct mechanism of sleep, which is the Serotonin system in the brain. Long-term use does not cause drug addiction. However, the drug does not work immediately. Usually after 3-4 weeks of treatment, sleep is clearly improved. In addition, this group of drugs causes some side effects such as dry mouth, bitter mouth, constipation, urinary retention in patients with prostate cancer. The drug is often indicated for the treatment of insomnia caused by depression, anxiety, primary insomnia, pain insomnia (trauma, cancer, neuralgia). What medication to take for insomnia to increase the effect of the drug and limit side effects, usually, doctors will combine two or three different drugs, most commonly a combination of three groups of tranquilizers (Bromazepam) - dose low, new sedation (Olanzapine) and tricyclic antidepressant (Clomipramine) - medium dose. After about 2 weeks of treatment, the doctors will cut off the sedative. After about 4 weeks of treatment, new sedation was discontinued and only tricyclic antidepressants were maintained for a minimum of 36 months. With such a combination will help the patient sleep immediately (thanks to sedatives and new sedatives). After about 4 weeks of treatment, when the tricyclic antidepressants work, the other two drugs are discontinued.

When suffering from prolonged insomnia, the patient should see a specialist for examination, advice and prescription for medication. For the treatment to be effective, the patient must strictly adhere to the medication prescribed by the treating doctor. In particular, the patient should not arbitrarily increase or decrease the dose, do not arbitrarily use the old prescription drug, do not arbitrarily change or stop using when the symptoms are relieved, etc. Right instructions can cause patients to experience unpredictable adverse events, harmful to health.
Besides medication, other supportive measures can also be combined such as:
Go to bed and wake up on time. Do not exercise too hard, eat a lot of fatty foods that cause indigestion, drink too much water in the evening, especially at bedtime. It is recommended to take a warm bath, do some relaxing, gentle movements, drink warm milk before going to bed, ... The bedroom should be quiet, cool, limited light, especially should not leave the equipment. electronics in the bedroom,... Do not use stimulants such as tea, coffee, alcohol, ... before bedtime.

Insomnia taking any medication also requires a doctor's prescription, patients should avoid buying and using drugs on their own to avoid unforeseen harm. In order to be prescribed the right medicine, people with insomnia should first see a specialist for advice and medical examination.