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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.

What kind of sleeping pill is the most effective and best for me? The newest sleeping pill is Ambien, though the fact that it is the newest does not make it the best. The side effects of the Ambien sleeping pill, the generic name being Lorazepam, are quite harsh. First of all, you should know that the Ambien sleeping pill cannot be taken by any person with liver or kidney disease, lung disease such as asthma, sleep apnea or depression. Among those who are eligible to take Ambien the sleep inducing effects vary from person to person as well as negative side effects. The sleeping pill causes hallucinations, personality changes, lack of coordination, blurred vision and others. To get the sleep you need without the side effects you don't a herbal sleeping pill can be easily and cheaply acquired in health food stores, online and in some pharmacies. While a herbal sleeping pill won't have the over powering effect that a prescription sleeping pill will, it is much safer and has few if any side effects. A herbal sleeping pill also does not lend itself to dependence or addiction.

Who needs to use a sleep aid and exactly what insomnia is, is quite relative to the person. Both age and the individual will determine the amount of sleep that is needed. If a twenty five year old is getting four and a half hours of sleep per night a sleep aid would most likely be recommended whereas if a seventy five year old is getting the same amount of sleep it would be much closer to the normal range. This is why insomnia is defined as a disturbance in regular sleeping patterns and a sleep aid will only be given if it is outside what is normal for that person. Besides taking a sleep aid you can try to exercise during the day (but not right before bed), you can flip the mattress or try to focus on pleasant relaxing thoughts. This does not always work and sometimes anxiety related insomnia has to be treated with a sleep aid. Even in this case a sleep aid with herbs such as St. John's Wort and Valerian Root are much safer than any prescription sleep aid.

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