There are many reasons why people find it hard to get enough good quality sleep, night after night. Routinely experiencing sleep problems is deemed insomnia, which can be considered short-term if it’s less than 3 months, or long-term if it goes on beyond 3 months.
Insomnia is very common, with up to one third of people in the UK experiencing episodes. The most common causes of insomnia include stress, noise, jet lag, uncomfortable beds, shift working or alcohol and other drugs.
Some of these factors can be tackled by adopting new habits and changing lifestyles. However, others are harder to control, so it’s not surprising that people look at supplements to help. Here are some of the most popular sleep aids, none of which should be taken by children under the age of 12.
1. Melatonin 3mg
Melatonin 3mg tablets have been shown to be very useful as a short-term treatment for insomnia and appear to have few side effects. These tablets can help with various causes of sleep disturbance, including jet lag and seasonal insomnia.
Melatonin 3mg is a synthetic version of a hormone that is produced naturally in the body and increases at night when it’s dark, thus promoting sleep.
The melatonin you take as tablets adds to your natural supply, helping you fall asleep more quickly and making it less likely that you’ll wake up during the night. It can also help improve your mood and concentration during daylight hours.
Melatonin is not an antihistamine and can be taken for up to 13 weeks, or longer if advised by a doctor. It produces drowsiness within 1-2 hours and is, therefore, best taken 30 minutes to 1 hour before bed.
If necessary and depending on the sleep problem, the dose can be increased to 6mg (two tablets). If you are taking other medicines or supplements, you should ask your doctor whether these can safely be taken alongside melatonin.
2. Kirkland Sleep Aid Doxylamine 25mg
Kirkland Sleep Aid is an established sleeping tablet containing the active ingredient doxylamine succinate and it is available without prescription. It is one of several antihistamines that cause drowsiness and is used as means to address short term sleep problems.
These tablets generally cause drowsiness within 30 minutes and should be taken about 30 minutes before bed.
Doxylamine has a strong sedating action, and people who take it don’t appear to develop a tolerance to this effect, however, it should not be taken for more than 2 weeks without consulting a doctor.
You should not take Kirkland Sleep Aid Doxylamine with any other antihistamine and if you are taking other medicines or supplements, you should consult a doctor or pharmacist.
3. Sleep Aid Gels (Dipenhydramine 50mg)
These quick-dissolving gels contain an antihistamine called diphenhydramine, which, like other antihistamines, acts on the central nervous system to reduce alertness and thus cause drowsiness.
Sleep Aid Gels generally work within 20-30 minutes, so it can be taken close to bedtime to help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep for longer. As with other antihistamine products, you should ask your doctor if you feel that you need to take the product for longer than two weeks.
The active ingredient in Sleep Aid Gels has been used for many years and has shown to be well tolerated and effective for short term insomnia.
4. Unisom SleepTabs Doxylamine
Unisom SleepTabs contain doxylamine succinate, which is an antihistamine that makes you drowsy within 30 minutes of taking a tablet. You only need to take one tablet per day, at or 30 minutes before bedtime.
Doxylamine has been shown to be non-habit forming, but you should not take it for more than two weeks before consulting a doctor. The effect of doxylamine on the body is relatively long lasting, suggesting that you are more likely to stay asleep for longer than with some other antihistamine based products.
In the past, doxylamine has been used to treat other disorders, including hay fever and allergies, although in these applications, drowsiness can be problematic, so it’s now more commonly used for sleep conditions.
If you are taking any other medicines or supplements, you should ask a doctor or pharmacist before using Unisom SleepTabs.