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Has insomnia tortured you to the point where you are looking into sleep aids? If so you are definitely not alone, it is estimated that more than 35 million Americans suffer from long term insomnia and require a sleep aids to get the sleep they need to function. Unfortunately in many cases sleep aids actually impair function, and leave the user worse off than before he or she began to use them. Benzodiazepines like Xanax, as well as non-benzodiazepine sleep aids like Ambien carry with them life-disrupting side effects. Before resorting to prescription sleep aids there are lifestyle changes you can try; cut down on coffee and cigarettes, especially before bedtime. Flipping your mattress, adjusting room temperature and trying to drown out noise can all be used in place of sleep aids. If those don't work the next step should be herbal sleep aids which provide relief without side effects, addiction or overdose. Herbal sleep aids are more effective that a lot of people give them credit for. Only after you have tried all of these or determined that the insomnia is caused by a serious physical problem should you consider prescription sleep aids.

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.

There are sleep disorders like sleep apnea which have definite physical causes, and then there are sleep disorders like onset insomnia which are caused by psychological factors. The second category of sleep disorders is actually more easily treated. With the use of herbal supplements sleep disorders caused by insomnia are effectively treated, though far too many people immediately go for prescription drugs. Sleep disorders do not always require these sorts of drugs, and ideally they should be reserved for only the most difficult and severe cases. Relaxation techniques, change of lifestyle and cognitive therapy can all be very effective in treating anxiety related sleep disorders. The problem with using Ambien to get to sleep is it can be hard to stop, and it can also lead to overdose if not used properly. This is because of the immediate euphoric feeling associated with it can become very addictive. For mild to moderate sleep disorders other methods should first be considered. Sweet dreams.

Sleepwell