5 Mar

Negative Effects of Chemical Sleep Aids

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When having trouble falling and staying asleep, many people turn to doctors and medications for help. These medications, some labeled as natural, are not only unhealthy, but can lead to many problems. Such medications as Lunesta, Ambien and melatonin can have very harmful side effects. According to Mayo Clinic, these are “not a magic cure” for insomnia and can even leave you feeling sick the next morning.

Lunesta, one of the many drugs prescribed for patients with insomnia, has countless side effects. One of the more shocking side effects is that a person will wake up with no memory of doing activities such as eating or driving. Lunesta, like many other sleep medications, can become addictive and may cause withdrawal symptoms when stopped unexpectedly. Common side effects when taking Lunesta include a “hangover” feeling the next day (i.e. drowsiness and dizziness), headaches, stuffy nose, sneezing, and sore throat.

Ambien, another sedative prescribed to those with insomnia, has similar side effects to Lunesta. Patients have reported experiencing memory loss when it comes to simple activities like eating and making phone calls. Sedatives can also impair both thoughts and reaction time. Another warning given to patients is to wait four hours the next morning before performing activities that require being alert, such as driving. Like Lunesta, Ambien is habit forming and can quickly become addictive. Ambien users are advised to stay away from antidepressants and other drugs that can have an unsafe reaction.

Although often marketed as a natural remedy for insomnia, melatonin is actually a manmade copycat of the hormone produced by your brain. Sold as an herbal and dietary supplement, it is not regulated by normal manufacturing standards and can sometimes be contaminated by other drugs and toxic materials. Like other medications, it is not suitable for everyone and can cause harmful reactions to those who have diabetes, irregular blood pressure, epilepsy, and depression. One of the dangers of melatonin is that, due to its regulatory status, not all of its side effects are known. The most common side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, and stomach pains.

But the fact still remains: when you can’t get a good night’s sleep, risking these side effects almost seems worth it. With the Sleep Shepherd (link to SleepHat.com), you get all of the reward without any of the risk. The Sleep Shepherd® sleep hat is truly an all-natural way to get a better night’s sleep without the negative side effects of drug-based treatments. The device contains a highly advanced biofeedback system that monitors your brainwaves and plays specialized tones into your ears. The tones take advantage of the natural brain structures that interpret the direction of sound and coax the wearer’s brainwaves to slow down. The device literally lulls the brain to sleep through what can best be described as an “auditory hypnosis.” There are sensors in the cap – two on the ears and one on the forehead – that read the wearer’s brainwaves. So it not only monitors your brain’s activity level, but actively puts you to sleep. Once you have fallen asleep, the tones automatically shut off so you can progress through a natural sleep cycle – unimpeded by foreign chemicals. It can be used at any time of day, and doesn’t leave you groggy the next morning.

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