When discussing the most effective and immediate-acting sleeping drugs, benzodiazepines always come first. However, this does not mean that they are the kind of medications that everyone should take.
Their action is quite effective, but they are also medications with devastating effects if they are not taken with caution given their ability to inhibit Central Nervous System receptors.
For those who have been approved by their doctor and will start taking benzodiazepine drugs, this is what they should know about the most potent.
About Alprazolam, also called Xanax
It is an extremely potent benzodiazepine that can cause dependence and, upon abandonment, withdrawal syndrome. The doctor will only prescribe Xanax if the insomnia symptoms are quite severe and do not seem to diminish with any other drug.
As for effects, Alprazolam produces such a state of drowsiness so that people can fall asleep even during the day. The medicine takes up to 20 hours to abandon its effects and, in the meantime, it is possible to experience dizziness, ataxia, lack of concentration and, in extreme cases, memory loss.
Mixing this drug with another benzodiazepine can trigger an accidental overdose and, in combination with alcohol or psychotropic, respiratory and heart failure.
About Clonazepam, also called Rivotril
Within the anti-anxiety prescriptions, this drug is one of the most effective and demanded, but due to its benzodiazepine condition, it also generates as much dependence as Xanax. The recommended doses of Rivotril fluctuate between tablets of 7.5 to 10 milligrams, the minimum dosage being 2.5 milligrams.
It is rare that Clonazepam is prescribed as an attenuator of sleep problems. Generally, this drug is replaced by Diazepam or Alprazolam itself, although its effects are a little different.
With regard to the latter, collateral reactions linked to Rivotril can turn from irritability and emotional instability to the typical sleepiness caused by benzodiazepines and, in general, sleeping pills.
Other effects of this drug are pain or spasms in the muscles, inflammation of the eyes, lips and, when the dose is abused, throat and tongue. If the latter occurs, the patient should see a doctor immediately, as he is experiencing respiratory failure.
Among other effects, less common but equally possible, is the loss of temporary memory, difficulty swallowing and decreased libido – especially in men over 40 years of age.
Diazepam also called Valium
In the batch of benzodiazepine brain modulators, Diazepam is rarely off the list. Its use as a treatment against anxiety and sleeping problems is as popular as its usefulness as a sedative and analgesic. However, among the three medications included in this guide, the consumption of Valium is the most erratic.
If administered orally, the side effects of this medication are not too different from those of Clonazepam, Alprazolam or any immediate-acting benzodiazepine. As a treatment, Valium inhibits gamma-aminobutyric acid neurotransmitters, or GABA receptors, resulting in the induction and prolongation of sleep.
Consequently, it is normal to experience continuous drowsiness, mild ataxia, concentration problems and muscle spasms, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and gastrointestinal problems, such as constipation. Less common and dangerous effects are blurred vision, vertigo, and memory loss.