Taking sleeping pills

If your best attempts to get a good night's sleep have failed, prescription sleeping pills may be an option. Here's some advice on how to use them safely.

• Get a medical evaluation. Before you take sleeping pills, see your health care provider for a thorough exam. Often your provider may be able to find specific causes for your insomnia. If you're taking sleeping pills for more than a few weeks, talk to your provider about an appropriate follow-up schedule to discuss your medicines.
• Read the medication guide. Read the medication guide for patients so that you understand how and when to take your medicine and what the major potential side effects are. If you have any questions, ask your pharmacist or health care provider.
• Never take a sleeping pill until you're going to bed. Sleeping pills can make you less aware of what you're doing, increasing the risk of dangerous situations. Wait to take your sleeping pill until you've completed all of your evening activities, immediately before you plan on sleeping.
• Take your sleeping pill when you can get a full night's sleep. Only take a sleeping pill when you know you can get a full night's sleep of at least 7 to 8 hours. A few short-acting sleeping pills are intended for middle of the night awakenings, so you may take them when you can stay in bed for at least four hours.
• Watch for side effects. If you feel sleepy or dizzy during the day or if you experience any other side effects that bother you, talk to your health care provider. Your provider may suggest trying a different medicine, changing your dose or weaning you off pills. Don't take a new sleeping pill the night before an important appointment or activity because you won't know how it affects you.
• Avoid alcohol. Never mix alcohol and sleeping pills. Alcohol increases the sedative effects of the pills. Even a small amount of alcohol combined with sleeping pills can make you feel dizzy, confused or faint. Combining alcohol with certain sleeping pills can lead to dangerously slowed breathing or unresponsiveness. And alcohol can actually cause insomnia.
• Don't take sleeping pills with opioids. Opioids are a wide class of pain-relieving drugs. They include prescription medicines, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, methadone and the synthetic opioid fentanyl. This class also includes illegal drugs, such as heroin. Combining an opioid with sleeping pills can be dangerous. The combination increases the sedative effects of the pills and can lead to slowed breathing or unresponsiveness. It can even cause you to stop breathing.
• Take sleeping pills strictly as prescribed by your health care provider. Some prescription sleeping pills are for short-term use only. Be sure to contact your provider for advice. Also, don't take a higher dose than prescribed. If the initial dose doesn't produce the intended effect on sleep, don't take more pills without first talking to your provider.
• Quit carefully. When you're ready to stop taking sleeping pills, follow your health care provider's or pharmacist's instructions or the directions on the label. Some medicines must be stopped gradually. Also, be aware that you may have some short-term rebound insomnia for a few days after you stop taking sleeping pills.

If you continue to have trouble sleeping, ask your health care provider for more help.