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- For a natural sleep aid you can take a melatonin pill, which contains sleep-inducing hormones
- Diphenhydramine is a sleep-promoting antihistamine found in Benadryl and ZzzQuil.
- You can also ask your doctor about prescription medicines like Ramelton or Doxepin.
- Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more advice.
Having trouble sleeping? You aren't alone. It's estimated that about 25% of Americans deal with acute insomnia every year.
If lifestyle changes aren't helping you sleep and your doctor thinks it's the best option for you, sleep aids may be what you need.
There are various over-the-counter and prescription options to choose from with the help of your provider. Here's what you need to know about seven common sleep aids.
1. Melatonin
Brand name: Melatonin
Drug class: Acetamides
Sleep issue it helps treat: Trouble falling asleep, delayed sleep phase disorder, and jet lag
Dosage: Typical dosing for melatonin is about 0.5-3 milligrams about 1-1.5 hours before bed. For the best results, consult your doctor for proper dosage.
How it works: Melatonin is a hormone that our bodies produce naturally when it's time for bed. However, if you aren't producing enough of it, then there are OTC supplements to try.
A 2013 meta-analysis of 19 studies found that melatonin helped study participants fall asleep about seven minutes faster than those who took a placebo.
However, it should be noted that melatonin is not classified as a drug, which means it isn't subject to FDA regulations, says Janet Hilbert, MD, a pulmonologist and sleep medicine expert with Yale Medicine. Because of this, the actual amount of melatonin in supplements may vary from what's advertised on the label.
2. Diphenhydramine
Brand name: ZzzQuil, Unisom, Sominex
Drug class: First-generation antihistamine
Sleep issue it helps treat: Trouble sleeping
Dosage: The typical dosage found in these OTC products is 50 milligrams. It should only be taken occasionally (not nightly) and is not a long-term treatment for insomnia, says Hilbert.
How it works: Diphenhydramine is a common ingredient in sleep aids and allergy medications, like Benadryl.
It affects your H1 receptors, which are one of the most important receptors for modulating your internal clock that controls your sleep-wake cycle.
3. Zolpidem
Brand name: Ambien
Drug class: Nonbenzodiazepine receptor agonists (NonBZRAs)
Sleep issue it helps treat: Trouble falling asleep
Dosage: The typical dosage is 5 milligrams for women and 5-10 milligrams for men, just before bedtime. Hilbert says it's generally recommended to be taken as needed but may be taken nightly for a limited time, if recommended by your doctor.
How it works: Zolpidem works by suppressing the central nervous system, which causes sleepiness, says Hilbert.
4. Eszopiclone
Brand name: Lunesta
Drug class: Nonbenzodiazepine receptor agonists (NonBZRAs)
Sleep issue it helps treat: Trouble falling asleep and staying asleep
Dosage: Typically about 1 milligram at bedtime, but it shouldn't be taken with or shortly after a high-fat meal, says Hilbert.
How it works: Eszopiclone is another prescription sleep aid in the NonBZRAs drug class. Similar to zolpidem, it also works by suppressing the central nervous system in order to induce sleepiness.
5. Ramelteon
Brand name: Rozerem
Drug class: Melatonin receptor agonists
Sleep issue it helps treat: Trouble falling asleep
Dosage: 8 milligrams no earlier than 30 minutes before bedtime, but not with or shortly after a meal, says Hilbert
How it works: Ramelteon is a prescription sleep aid that works by acting on the melatonin receptors in the brain to promote sleep.
6. Doxepin
Brand name: Silenor
Drug class: Histamine-2 receptor antagonists
Sleep issue it helps treat: Trouble staying asleep
Dosage: The starting dose is 3 milligrams taken within 30 minutes of bedtime, and not taken within three hours of a meal, says Hilbert.
How it works: Doxepin is a prescription sleep aid. By blocking histamine (which promotes wakefulness), it promotes sleep, Hilbert says.
7. Suvorexant
Brand name: Belsomra
Drug class: Dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORAs)
Sleep issue it helps treat: Trouble falling asleep and staying asleep
Dosage: The starting dose is 10 milligrams no earlier than 30 minutes before bedtime.
How it works: Suvorexant is a prescription sleep aid. DORAs work by blocking neurotransmitters called orexins that help you feel awake. Suppressing these receptors promotes sleep, says Hilbert.
Insider's takeaway
Hilbert says that the first step in treating insomnia should not be medication, and a thorough examination is necessary before prescribing medications.
However, if your doctor does recommend that you take OTC or prescription sleep aids, they can help you finally get a good night's sleep.