Top Ten Sleep Aids

Over-the-counter sleep aids might help temporarily — but lifestyle changes are usually the best approach for chronic insomnia. By Mayo Clinic Staff You've followed the usual tips for getting enough sleep — sleeping on a regular schedule, avoiding caffeine and daytime naps, exercising regularly, avoiding lighted screens before bed, and managing stress.

Combining alcohol with certain sleeping pills can lead to dangerously slowed breathing or unresponsiveness. And alcohol can actually cause insomnia. Take sleeping pills strictly as prescribed by your doctor. Some prescription sleeping pills are for short-term use only. Be sure to contact your doctor 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 doctor.

Ambien (zolpidem) is a sedative, also called a hypnotic. Zolpidem affects chemicals in the brain that may be unbalanced in people with sleep problems insomnia). Ambien is used to treat insomnia. The immediate-release tablet is used to help you fall asleep when you first go to bed.

Sonata (zaleplon) is a sedative, also called a hypnotic. It affects chemicals in your brain that may be unbalanced in people with sleep problems (insomnia). Sonata is used to treat insomnia. This medicine causes relaxation to help you fall asleep and stay asleep.

WebMD consulted some sleep experts about "natural" sleep aids to learn more about how -- and how well -- they really work. Natural Sleep Aids: Dietary Supplements Valerian is a dietary supplement that has been used since ancient times for insomnia and nervousness.

Online, everywhere from Yahoo Answers to Dr. Oz seems to claim that chamomile is a surefire sleep aid. Among all non-prescription sleep aids, chamomile is one of the most popular. But research is not able to back up these claims 100%.

How Effective Is Tryptophan For Sleep, Insomnia And Depression? A traditional use of tryptophan and a tryptophan relative, 5-hydroxytryptophan (a.k.a "natural 5-HTP"), has been for acute or minor depression but also, as one of the so-called “natural sleeping aids”, for mild insomnia.

Aleve PM is the first and only over-the-counter (OTC) PM product with the 12-hour pain-relieving strength of Aleve plus a sleep aid. Each caplet combines the sleep aid diphenhydramine HCl (25 mg) with the pain reliever naproxen sodium (220 mg), a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, to provide relief from occasional sleeplessness associated with minor aches and pains.

Doxylamine succinate is clinically proven and FDA approved to help you fall asleep 33% faster. 1 Unisom SleepTabs is the only leading over-the-counter sleep-aid brand that uses this ingredient.

Is melatonin a helpful sleep aid — and what should I know about melatonin side effects? Answers from Brent A. Bauer, ...

Valerian may increase the effects of other sleep aids. It also increases the sedative effect of depressants, such as alcohol, benzodiazepines and narcotics. Valerian can interfere with some prescription medications.

Doxylamine (brand names such as Unisom, Nighttime Sleep Aid) (OTC). Read more