The right doze? Don146;t pop it

Sleeping pills do not lead to drastic improvement in sleep for insomniacs, says new research

In 24215;7 wired lives, sleep is the biggest casualty and sleeping tablets the magic pills that seal up tired minds in rest. But new research conducted by the National Institute of Health in America tells us to stop before popping the pills8212;the drugs do not lead to remarkable improvement in sleep and people who take the medicine believe that they work better than what scientific evidence suggests.

The analysis said that viewed as a group, the pills reduced the average time to go to sleep by 12.8 minutes compared with fake pills, and increased total sleep time by 11.4 minutes. People who took sleeping pills fell asleep 10 minutes faster and slept 32 minutes longer than the placebo group.

8220;That sleeping pills will make you sleep better is a misconception. A person who takes the pills will probably sleep, at the most, an hour more than a person who doesn8217;t,8221; says Dr S.K. Aggarwal, internal medicine, Apollo Hospitals. But how is it that an insomniac feels so refreshed after sleeping only half-an-hour longer? It8217;s in the mind. 8220;The pills that are used to treat insomnia contain nonbenzodiazepine, a kind of sedative that relieves anxiety,8221; says Dr Aggarwal. 8220;When an insomniac is less anxious, he or she doesn8217;t feel worried about not being able to sleep. The pill also relaxes muscles, thus helping one sleep faster than usual,8221; says Dr A.K. Bali, consultant, internal medicine, Moolchand Medcity.

In India, Alprex, Avil and Calmpose are the sleeping pills most commonly used. Each ml of avil contains 22.75 mg of pheniramine maleate, an antihistamine that relaxes the muscles and helps one sleep sooner than usual. Alprax or Alprazolam is a drug in the benzodiazepine class and is used to treat anxiety. It contains phenyl, dihydro and benzodiazepin. Benzodiazepin is what makes a person feel sleepy. They are available for Rs 15-20 and remain in the body for one to two hours. Antihistamines are known to make people sleepy, but there is little evidence that they improve sleep. They can also cause next-day sedation that impairs driving, as well as

racing heartbeat and constipation. Medical journals have warned against using antihistamines for sleep.

So what is the other option to tossing and turning in bed? A study published in the journal Sleep says cognitive behavioral therapy helped people suffering from insomnia fall asleep sooner and stay asleep longer. Another research published in the American Journal of Psychiatry showed that behavioral treatment helped people fall asleep nearly 9 minutes sooner than sleeping pills. It said that sleep therapy8212;which is basically a disciplined sleep regimen8212;worked as well as drugs, without any side effects.

So, if you suffer from insomnia, avoid watching TV, eating or reading just before going to bed. 8220;Avoid taking a nap during the day and don8217;t go to bed until you feel sleepy,8221; says Dr Aggarwal. Follow a fixed routine of waking up and going to bed. 8220;Go to sleep and wake up at the same time everyday. Eat well and exercise everyday so that your body is tired and your muscles are relaxed when you hit the sack,8221; says Dr Aggarwal. Avoid coffee, alcohol or caffeinated drinks just before going to sleep. Also, don8217;t force yourself to sleep. 8220;Don8217;t twist and turn in bed for more than 20 minutes. Go to sleep when you are sleepy and wake up early the next day, no matter how sleepy you feel,8221; says Dr Bali.