Alternatives for Insomnia Relief
INSOMNIA RELIEF
Sleep can often be vastly improved by “natural methods”, which generally require active patient participation. Several pharmacological alternatives are also available for the treatment of insomnia.
Options other than benzodiazepines and Z-drugs include:
- Sleep hygiene improvements, including pre-sleep preparation, timing, duration and lighting changes.
- Natural biological remedies, such as melatonin or valerian root supplements, lavender oil and chamomile tea. There is a body of research behind each of these remedies that indicates their effectiveness. [1-5]
- In a 2015 study in JAMA Internal Medicine, adults who spent two hours a week learning meditation and mindfulness techniques for six weeks (but who never discussed sleep) reported less insomnia and fatigue than those who’d spent that time learning basic sleep hygiene. [6]
- Noise machines. Research published in 2018 in the journal Scientific Reports found that listening to sounds from nature can trigger a relaxation response in the brain.
Pharmacological alternatives for insomnia include the following (adapted from “Drugs to Treat Insomnia” on WebMD):
- Doxepine (Silenor®). This sleep drug is approved for use in people who have trouble staying asleep. Silenor may help with sleep maintenance by blocking histamine receptors.
- Ramelteon (Rozerem®). This sleep medication works by targeting the sleep-wake cycle, not by depressing the central nervous system. It is prescribed for people who have trouble falling asleep. Rozerem can be prescribed for long-term use, and the drug has shown no evidence of abuse or dependence.
- Suvorexant (Belsomra®). An orexen receptor antagonist, it is approved by the FDA to treat people that have insomnia due to an inability to fall asleep or to stay asleep, but may lead to persistent drowsiness.
- Although they have their own set of problems, some antidepressant drugs, such as trazodone (Desyrel®), are very good at treating sleeplessness and anxiety.
- Over-the-counter sleep aids. Most of these sleeping pills are antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine and doxylamine.
[1] Bent, S., Padula, A., Moore, D., Patterson, M., & Mehling, W. (2006). Valerian for Sleep: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. The American Journal of Medicine, 119(12), 1005–1012. Abstract
[2] Barton, D. L., Atherton, P. J., Bauer, B. A., Moore, D. F., Mattar, B. I., LaVasseur, B. I., Loprinzi, C. L. (2011). The Use of Valeriana Officinalis (Valerian) in Improving Sleep in Patients Who Are Undergoing Treatment for Cancer: A Phase III Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study: NCCTG Trial, N01C5. The Journal of Supportive Oncology, 9(1), 24–31. Full Article
[3] Srivastava, J. K., Shankar, E., & Gupta, S. (2010). Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future. Molecular Medicine Reports, 3(6), 895–901. Abstract
[4] Costello, R. B., Lentino, C. V., Boyd, C. C., O’Connell, M. L., Crawford, C. C., Sprengel, M. L., & Deuster, P. A. (2014). The effectiveness of melatonin for promoting healthy sleep: a rapid evidence assessment of the literature. Nutrition Journal, 13, 106. Abstract
[5] Keshavarz Afshar, M., Behboodi Moghadam, Z., Taghizadeh, Z., Bekhradi, R., Montazeri, A., & Mokhtari, P. (2015). Lavender Fragrance Essential Oil and the Quality of Sleep in Postpartum Women. Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal, 17(4), e25880. Abstract
[6] Black DS, O’Reilly GA, Olmstead R, Breen EC, Irwin MR. Mindfulness Meditation and Improvement in Sleep Quality and Daytime Impairment Among Older Adults With Sleep DisturbancesA Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175(4):494–501. Article
