Are you new with using over-the-counter sleep aids? Are you sure that the Over-the-Counter Sleep Aids you use are safe? Do you feel the need to know that over-the-counter sleep aids may mask other serious problems? If yes, then read the article below entitled Helpful Warnings and Tips in Using Over-the-Counter Sleep Aids by Denise Mann of Medical Tribune News Service.
People in Seattle aren't the only ones who are sleepless.
In fact, insomniacs across the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. spend more than $300 million a year on over-the-counter sleep aids, the latest statistics show.
But these products may do more than help people get some Z's; their prolonged use may mask more serious medical conditions See carpal tunnel syndrome, computer vision syndrome, dry eyes and deep vein thrombosis. , such as depression, and thereby delay proper care.
That's why insomnia that lasts a month or more should be discussed with a physician, not treated with over-the-counter sleep aids, said Dr. Charles F. Reynolds, III, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) is a leading American healthcare provider and institution for medical research. It consistently ranks in US News and World Report's "Honor Roll" of the approximately 15 best hospitals in America.
``These agents are often not very effective and may impair daytime alertness and awareness,'' said Reynolds, who co-authored a report on insomnia in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine The New England Journal of Medicine (New Engl J Med or NEJM) is an English-language peer-reviewed medical journal published by the Massachusetts Medical Society. It is one of the most popular and widely-read peer-reviewed general medical journals in the world.
Insomnia is defined as the perception of inadequate or nonrestful sleep. It can be a symptom of depression, stress or other medical conditions.
``There is relatively little in life that doesn't have the potential for infringing on sleep, and, as people age, the ability to sleep deeply and soundly tends to diminish,'' Reynolds noted.
About 40 percent of 30 million Americans with insomnia self-medicate with over-the counter sleeping aids, such as Nytol and Unisom, according to according to
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1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.
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3. the National Sleep Foundation in Washington, D.C.
``For some people, over-the-counter sleeping aids are not appropriate, and they can prevent people from getting a prescription for a drug that may be more helpful,'' said Thomas Roth, chief of the sleep disorders Sleep Disorders Definition
Sleep disorders are a group of syndromes characterized by disturbance in the patient's amount of sleep, quality or timing of sleep, or in behaviors or physiological conditions associated with sleep. and research center at Henry Ford Hospital Henry Ford Hospital is a hospital located in Detroit, Michigan a few blocks from Wayne State University and the New Center area, near the Fisher Building and Cadillac Place. The hospital was founded in 1915 by Henry Ford as a philanthropic project. in Detroit.
James K. Walsh, executive director of the department of sleep medicine at St. Luke's Hospital in St. Louis, agreed.
``I certainly think that people taking over-the-counter sleeping aids should be telling their physicians and asking their advice,'' Walsh said.
Source : Over the Counter Sleep Aids May Mask Serious Problems
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