Medications that Interfere with Sleep

Though medication and prescription drugs are designed to help with specific problems, they can often have negative side effects. Medicine can disrupt the normal balance of the body and lead to a disruption in sleep or insomnia. Even sleeping pills can have a negative impact on restful sleep.

Medications that Cause Insomnia

Many people have no idea that medication can alter and interfere with sleeping patterns. Those taking medicine for a particular purpose may attribute the sleep issues to the ailment, not the cure. However, many medicines can cause sleep problems. Here is a short list of some medicine types that can adversely affect sleep:
  • antidepressants
  • antihistamines
  • decongestants
  • sleeping pills
  • Theophylline
  • weight loss medication.

Antidepressants and Sleep

While some antidepressants, such as Prozac, are thought to help encourage better sleep, some have been linked to causing sleep problems. Some research has indicated that antidepressants can cause the onset of REM sleep disorder, which causes people to physically act out their dreams while fully asleep.
 
Researchers seem to agree that for better or worse, antidepressants definitely have an affect on sleep. Be sure to discuss this with your physician prior to beginning any course of medication, or if you think your current medicine may be affecting how you sleep.

Antihistamines, Decongestants and Sleep

Antihistamines and decongestants tend to have opposite effects on alertness. Antihistamines can cause a person to become drowsy, while decongestants can cause alertness and excitability.
 
Taking an antihistamine during the day can cause sleepiness that interferes with later sleep. Decongestants, on the other hand, taken too close to bedtime can make it hard to fall asleep. If you are taking an over-the-counter remedy, be sure to read the possible side effects, and feel free to walk up to the pharmacist and ask his or her opinion on the subject.

Theophylline

Theophylline and other asthma and related medications have been studied recently in regard to their possible effect on sleep. While the medications help clear airways during waking hours, it seems to have other effects when the person is sleeping, including reducing time asleep and soundness of sleep. It is unclear whether this has a perceptible effect on waking function. However, if you are on asthma meds and notice a change in your sleep behavior, be sure to bring it up with your physician.

Weight Loss Medication and Sleep

Weight loss medication often contains some type of diuretic and/or stimulant (such as caffeine) to rev the body up and increase metabolism. Diuretics can cause people to awaken during the night to go to the bathroom, while stimulants can overexcite the mind and make it difficult to fall asleep.

Sleeping Pills and Insomnia

Ironically enough, sleep medications can often exacerbate the exact problem they are designed to help. Many sleep medicines override the body's natural sleep mechanisms, making the body "forget" how to lull itself to sleep without assistance. This means that most sleeping pills should only be used for short durations as they have limited efficacy.

Be sure to discuss with your physician the length of time sleep medications are indicated and the possible addictive qualities and side effects they have.

Resources

Healthwise (2007). Medication or other drug use and sleep problems. Retrieved January 26, 2007, from the Healthwise Web site: http://health.yahoo.com/topic/sleep/resources/article/healthwise
/aa2134.

MedIndia.com (2006). Antidepressants affect and cause REM sleep disorder. Retrieved January 26, 2007, from the MedIndia Web site: http://www.medindia.net/news/view_news_main.asp?x=11501.

Mind Publications (2007). Insomnia-sleeping problems. Retrieved January 26, 2007, from the Mind Publications Web site: http://www.mindpub.com/altern05.htm.

Orman, M.C. (2007). Dr. Orman's Guide to Better Sleep. Retrieved January 26, 2007, from the Stress Cure Web site: http://www.stresscure.com/health/sleep.html.

Sears, Barry (2007). Cold and cough medication guide. Retrieved January 26, 2007, from the AskDrSears Web site: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/t089800.asp.

Smith, Phillip and Schwartz, Alan (1993). The effect of theophylline on sleep in normal subjects. Retrieved January 26, 2007, from the Find Articles Web site: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0984/is_n1_v103/
ai_13441661.