Sleep Disorder Treatment (Sleep Treatment)

Sleep treatment information. Sleep medication and supplements for treating sleep disorders. Run down on sleep medications, including sedative-hypnotics.

The good news about sleep disorders is that while they are very common, they are also very treatable. Most sleep disorders are successfully treated or disappear on their own within a few weeks. Developing a sleep routine and removing environmental factors can go a long way to improving sleep. Therapy, as part of sleep disorder treatment, can be used to reduce stressors and there are effective drugs that can be used for sleep treatment, as-needed, for decades without concern of dependence.¹

Common Prescription Sleep Medication Used in Sleep Disorder Treatment

If selected by your doctor as a sleep treatment, she can choose between two basic sleep medication types:

1. those that promote sleep
2. those that promote wakefulness

Sleep-promoting medications are typically various forms of tranquilizers known as sedative-hypnotics. Two common examples are Ativan and Lunesta. Your doctor may also select an antidepressant or another kind of medication known to induce sleep and sustain sleep. To promote wakefulness, your doctor will typically select a sleep drug designed specifically for that purpose such as Provigil.

Your specific type of sleep disorder and its cause will dictate which sleep medication your doctor will suggest. The following is a list of commonly prescribed sleep medications for the treatment of sleep disorders:

• Alprazolam
• Ambien
• Ativan
• Caffeine
• Diphenhydramine
• Edluar
• Elavil
• Lorazepam
• Lunesta
• Nuvigil, Provigil
• Ramelteon
• Restoril
• Rozerem
• Sonata
• Trazodone
• Xanax
• Zolpidem

Supplements For Treating Sleep Disorders

The following supplements have some supporting scientific evidence for the effective treatment of sleep disorders.

• Lemon Balm
• Melatonin
• Tyrosine
• Valerian Root
• Chamomile

References