Sleep has long been an underappreciated determinant of health. It’s often the first thing cut from our crammed and overflowing routines. Sleep quantity and quality, however, affect many seemingly divergent areas of health, including hormonal and metabolic health; it’s also an essential prerequisite for normal daily functioning.
When we don’t get enough
A sleep disorder may be a wake-up call to address a more serious issue. Chronic sleep deprivation is linked with increased risk of heart disease, obesity, immune dysfunction, hormonal imbalances, and even cancer.
Health risks of common sleep meds
An alarmingly large percentage of the population relies on various sleep medications, but may be unaware of potential risks associated with their use, including dependency.
The most common sleep medications are the older class benzodiazepines such as lorazepam (Ativan), alprazolam (Xanax), and diazepam (Valium), and the newer benzodiazepine-like drugs (“Z-drugs”) zopiclone and zolpidem.
These drugs are all associated with risk of dependency and need to be used carefully in conjunction with other medications, especially opioids and alcohol, which can result in oversedation and even death.
Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated labeling requirements for all benzodiazepines due to “serious risks of abuse, addiction, physical dependence, and withdrawal reactions” which are common problems of benzodiazepine use even when only used regularly for days to weeks, and even at approved doses.
Acute withdrawal can lead to seizures and even death, so these drugs need to be tapered slowly with medical supervision. Benzodiazepine use is also associated with increased risk of falls and injury in the elderly, as well as increased risk of pneumonia, because sedation leads to altered respiration.
Natural sleep alternatives
There are several natural health products with good safety profiles that may be helpful for those suffering from insomnia. Some of these include melatonin, magnesium, and valerian or passionflower. Patients should consult a licensed health care practitioner for personalized advice regarding the use of natural health products as well as addressing the root cause of your insomnia. Do not stop the use of prescription medications without consulting your medical doctor.
Melatonin
One of the best-studied natural agents, melatonin has been shown to improve sleep parameters including sleep latency and total sleep time without significant side effects in several systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Melatonin secretion may be altered among people with altered sleep/wake schedules, such as shift workers and the elderly; melatonin supplementation may help correct this.
Magnesium
A relaxing mineral found in the muscles and the nervous system, many people find magnesium supplements helpful for promoting sleep. Magnesium supplementation has been shown to reduce sleep latency and increase total sleep time.
Valerian and passionflower
These mild sedative herbs have a long history of use for anxiety and insomnia. Constituents in these herbs bind to GABA receptors in the brain, exerting calming, inhibitory effects.
By Dr. Heidi Fritz, MA, ND