Health

Popular medications prescribed for sleep disorders

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Sleep medicines prescribed by doctors are always efficient if you practice timely sleep schedules and good food habits along with them. Below are certain sleep medicines that are generally prescribed for sleep disorders.

Benzodiazepines: These drugs are part of the hypnotics’ drugs section and the main constituents generally include clonazepam, diazepam, temazepam, estazolam, alprazolam, and lorazepam. Mainly, these medicines are given to patients suffering from parasomnia. Some doctors use this sleep medicine for treating bruxism and short-term insomnia as well.

Non-benzodiazepine hypnotics: These drugs, such as zaleplon and eszopiclone, are prescribed for short term insomnia.

Anti-Parkinsonian drugs: These are dopamine agonists majorly constituting levodopa, Sinemet, bromocriptine, ropinirole, rotigotine, and pramipexole. They are used for treating restless leg syndrome and other sleep disorders like periodic limb movement.

Opiates: These drugs constitute of codeine, oxycodone, methadone, and dihydromorphine. Pregnant women are sometimes given this drug for restless leg syndrome.

Melatonin Receptor Stimulator: Rozerem being the major component in this stimulator is used to treat insomnia.

Anticonvulsants: These drugs are used to treat nocturnal eating syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, insomnia, etc. This drug comprises Depakene, gabapentin enacarbil, and pregabalin.

Anti-narcoleptics: These drugs comprise modafinil and methylphenidate which help in improving daytime active period in those who suffer from sleep apnea due to shift timings at their workplace. Sometimes, this is substituted by Sodium Oxybate which helps in controlling excessive daytime weakness and sleepiness.

Orexin Recepto Antagonists: These drugs, known as orexins, help in regulating the biological clock by keeping people awake at the required time. This is required in the United States because this is the only drug approved in the class of Belsomra.

Studies on sleep disorders from the past decades in the US have remarkably increased. The sedatives prescribed for insomnia have decreased; however, the sleep medicine prescribed by doctors for treatment has remained in the market.

Chronic hypnotic medication has been given for mood disorders that are related to sleep disorders.

Sleep disorders often tend to disrupt the normal routine of an individual, and therefore, proper and timely treatment should be undertaken.