{"id":7819,"date":"2020-10-06T20:23:22","date_gmt":"2020-10-06T20:23:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/?p=7819"},"modified":"2020-10-07T21:18:13","modified_gmt":"2020-10-07T21:18:13","slug":"understanding-over-the-counter-sleep-aids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/understanding-over-the-counter-sleep-aids\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Over- The- Counter Sleep Aids"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/sleep-1255008512-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7822\" width=\"321\" height=\"181\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/sleep-1255008512-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/sleep-1255008512-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/sleep-1255008512-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/sleep-1255008512-1536x863.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/sleep-1255008512-2048x1151.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/sleep-1255008512-500x281.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 321px) 100vw, 321px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that is characterized by\ndifficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.&nbsp;&nbsp;\nExperiencing either of these issues may happen on occasion or can become\nchronic -occurring more than three times a week, for at least three\nmonths.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether problems getting adequate sleep occurs occasionally\nor is a nightly struggle, it can lead to complications such as fatigue or\nproblems concentrating which prompts many to seek relief. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a number of ways to get relief from the effects of insomnia, one of which includes taking over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over-the-counter sleep aids are widely available but should\nbe used as a temporary solution (no longer than two weeks). Sleep experts advise\nagainst regular use because most OTC sleep aids rely on antihistamines to\npromote drowsiness. Others may also combine the pain reliever Acetaminophen or\nalcohol along with antihistamine as their primary active ingredients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Long-term use of sleep aids containing these ingredients can\nlead to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Dry mouth and throat<\/li><li>Daytime drowsiness <\/li><li>Feeling off balance <\/li><li>Constipation or urinary retention<\/li><li>Blurred vision<\/li><li>Dependency <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It is important to keep in mind that OTC sleep aids are often\nnot recommended for people with certain medical conditions such as asthma, chronic\nobstructive pulmonary disease, severe liver disease, sleep apnea or close-angle\nglaucoma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sleep aids may be used to provide temporary relief for\ninsomnia; however, they should not be used as a replacement for creating\nhealthy sleeping habits or seeking proper treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Healthy sleep habits include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Avoiding excessive blue light from electronics\nor cellphones before going to sleep<\/li><li>Going to bed and waking up at the same time each\nday if possible <\/li><li>Keeping naps short ( 30 minutes or less)<\/li><li>Avoiding caffeine or nicotine<\/li><li>Eating a healthy diet <\/li><li>Exercising regularly<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are suffering from the effects of insomnia, speak with your doctor before taking a sleep aid.\u00a0 Your doctor can inform you of possible drug interactions or medications that can affect underlying health conditions.\u00a0 They may also recommend making an appointment with a sleep specialist who can properly diagnose your condition and offer treatments such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or prescribed sleep-inducing medications. To schedule an appointment with a sleep specialist at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call  718-206-7001 <\/p>\n<p class=\"disclaimer\">All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.  Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page.   You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter.<strong>  PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.<\/strong> <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that is characterized by difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.&nbsp;&nbsp; Experiencing either of these issues may happen on occasion or can become chronic -occurring more than three times a week, for at least three &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/understanding-over-the-counter-sleep-aids\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,13],"tags":[333],"class_list":["post-7819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health","category-sleep-center","tag-sleep-aids"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7819","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7819"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7819\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7823,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7819\/revisions\/7823"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7819"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7819"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7819"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}