When someone regularly spends more money than they bring in, they end up in debt. The same goes for people who regularly sleep fewer hours than their body requires. “Sleep debt” is an actual phenomenon according to some experts and studies have shown that those who consistently get less than their ideal amount of sleep, actually perform increasingly poorly on tests of motor skills and problem solving the longer their sleep debt goes on.

Each individual has a “set point” of sleeping hours their bodies and minds need. Sadly, unlike money, you can’t save up sleep for use later on. So, the theory goes, if you stay up just one hour later than usual five nights in a row, you will be five hours in debt by the weekend. The only way to make up for a sleep deficit is to sleep, so you may find yourself napping and sleeping later than usual on your days off.

How do you know you’re in sleep debt? Drowsiness is a sure sign, but it can also be very dangerous. In the U.S. alone, drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 crashes a year, resulting in 40,000 injuries and more than 1,500 deaths according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

As always, the best way to stay out of debt – whether you’re talking about money or sleep – is to live within your means.

Have you ever considered popping a sleeping pill after trouble getting to sleep? Do you want to learn more about prescription and over-the-counter sleep aids? If so, read on…

While risks can be minimal when taken as directed, says our resident sleep expert Dr. Drake, you should understand the benefits and risks associated with any medication you take.

Benefits

Better Sleep – Simply put sleeping pills can help you sleep better specifically when severe stress, travel across time zones or other significant disruptions produce chronic (a month or more) difficult falling asleep, staying asleep or non-restorative sleep. If used appropriately sleep medications can benefit sleep in a safe and effective manner, says Dr. Drake.

Risks

Misuse – Risks can be high when used at inappropriate times. Sleep-inducing medication should not be used for naps, during the day, or at higher than recommended doses.

Other Effective Treatments – If you have chronic insomnia, an alternative but effective approach may be to utilize better sleep habits and specific behavioral techniques with the help of a behavioral sleep specialist, says Dr. Drake. Behavioral treatments offer long lasting improvements, but there are limitations to behavioral treatments as well and combined medication and behavioral therapy can also be considered with your doctor.

Short Term Relief – Over the counter preparations like NyQuil and Tylenol PM may only offer short-term relief. These medications that contain diphenhydramine can lose their effectiveness after just 5 days.

Residual Effects – When taking very long acting medications to help sleep some patients may experience side effects such as daytime sleepiness or other impairments during the day. Dr. Drake recommends being cautious about driving or performing other critical activities until you know how the medication will affect you. Fortunately, most FDA approved sleep medications are less likely to cause those effects when taken as instructed by your physician. Another medication option is herbal preparations although they have the least amount of scientific evidence demonstrating their safety and effectiveness.

Alcohol and Other Threats – Drinking alcohol can increase the risk of side effects when used with sleep medications and although it may seem to improve the ability to fall asleep, alcohol disrupts sleep particularly during the second half of the night and this sometimes goes unnoticed by patients. Expecting mothers with sleep disturbance should carefully consider the risk/benefits of medications with their doctor as problems with sleep can often be the sign of another underlying sleep disorder that may need a different form of treatment (see article of pregnancy).

Dr. Drake shares one final piece of advice: Always make sure to follow the instructions when taking any medication and to consult your doctor.

Additional Resources

Prescription Sleeping Pills (Mayo Clinic)
Over-The-Counter Sleep Aids and Supplements (Mayo Clinic)
When to take a sleeping pill (CNN)
Diphenhydramine (MedlinePlus)