sleep

[Chandler Weymann]

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Sleeping pills come in many different forms, but the two most common are benzodiazepines (sleeping pills like Ativan and Valium) and sleeping pills like Ambien. While they are usually effective in the treatment of insomnia induced by anxiety, they risks and side effects of prescription sleeping pills can be extreme and far outweigh the benefits. For example, Xanax has been known to cause hallucinations, blurred vision and sometimes even increased anxiety and depression, which exacerbates insomnia. Ambien sleeping pills also quickly induce sleep but still have a wide range of negative side effects. In addition, Ambien can cause an overdose and is suspected in the death of actor Heath Ledger. Because of all of this, prescription sleeping pills are generally not recommended and even doctors won't prescribe them for long periods of time. Herbal supplements and relaxation techniques should be used in place of sleeping pills wherever possible.

Lorazepam is a drug used to control anxiety and it has also been shown to be quite effective in the short term treatment of insomnia. Lorazepam is the generic name for Ativan, which is one of the most prescribed drugs for anxiety and insomnia next to Xanax and Ambien. While Lorazepam has shown good results for treatment of these conditions, the side effects can be quite harsh. Lorazepam can have a damaging effect on the liver and kidneys, and has been shown in some cases to cause different problems such as memory loss, hallucination, blurred vision and others. Because of the risk of dependency, many people who stop taking Lorazepam after longer periods experience a rebound of anxiety and insomnia much stronger than previous to using Lorazepam. There is a long list of drugs that Lorazepam will interact with, and you should of course inform your doctor of what medications you are taking if you are considering using Lorazepam. However, before considering using Lorazepam or any other benzodiazepines natural remedies, psychological counseling and lifestyle changes should first be taken into consideration, because of the negative effects of these drugs. These things can help result in a more natural, healthy sleep than the use of Lorazepam.

If you are thinking of using Ativan think again! Even by the standards of other prescription drugs it is dangerous, and people using Ativan require constant monitoring of kidney and liver function to ensure that it is not causing permanent damage to the body. Ativan is prescribed all too often, both for anxiety and sleep problems, but the prescription of a pharmaceutical drug like Ativan makes the assumption that your anxiety and sleeping problems are being caused by a chemical imbalance when there are many other factors which could be affecting you. Before resorting to the use of Ativan or another benzodiazepine you should try a combination of lifestyle changes, relaxation techniques, cognitive therapy and/or herbal remedies. All of these are obviously side effect and dependency free methods of dealing with anxiety and insomnia, whereas Ativan can lead to addiction, dependency and permanent damage to the body.

Sleepwell