While sleep is a biological process, Insomnia is an unnatural phenomenon. Most of the patients with insomnia suffer from two major problems—failure to doze off after retiring to bed and early morning awakenings. In both these situations, the person suffering from sleepless night finds it difficult to get back to sleep. Failure to get adequate sleep at night could make the sleep-deprived person irritable, sleepy and miserable. Such people usually suffer from mood swings and unusual behaviour.
An absence of sleep at night may force an insomniac to succumb to the easy temptation of sleeping pills. These pills do often relief immediately in the form of quick sleep, but they lead to numerous side effects. Moreover, they result in dependence and tolerance. In order to avail safe and healthy treatment, they should be used sparingly.
There are different sleeping pills at an online store and at a nearby drug store. Each one claims to be useful and superior to others. It is entirely at the discretion of the patient whether he wants to consult a doctor or buy over the counter sleeping aids.

Sleeping pills are broadly categorized on the basis of different sleeping problems encountered by insomniacs. These groups are:
1) Sleeping medicines that help to fall asleep.
2) Sleeping tablets that help to stay asleep.
3) Sleeping pills to overcome restless and depression

We will analyze the 4 different groups of sleeping medications below:

1. The Non-Benzodiazepines or "Z" Drugs

They are the most talked about and most expensive class of drugs being used in current times. This group of sleeping medication is often called non-benzodiazepines or "Non-Benzos" and sometimes known as ''Z'' drugs. They are widely used because they achieve comparable efficacy with lesser side effects, as compared to the older generation of drug behaviour.
Popular nonbenzodiazepines include Lunesta (eszopiclone), Sonata (zaleplon), Ambien (zolpidem and Rozerem (ramelteon). These medications allow a sleep-deprived person to relax peacefully.These sleeping pills may cause a severe allergic reaction, facial swelling, and complex sleep-related behaviour. Moreover, there is an increased risk of depression while on this medication, and patients risk going through withdrawal, if taken off the medication too quickly.

2 The Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines are the oldest group of sleeping medication and are mainly used for the treatment of insomnia and sleep disorders. Constant misuse, dependence and with side effects such as memory impairment and a next-day hangover - these sleeping medications are now prescribed with a lot of caution. Some of the common benzosare -Restoril (temazepam), Valium (Diazepam) and Alprazolam (Xanax).

One should be careful when taking benzodiazepines even if they are prescribed by a doctor. Although they may be effective in inducing sleep, one can quickly develop a dependency on the drug. Make sure the user doesn't take these drugs to an extent ended the period of time and the doses are relatively low. Side effects include lack of coordination, depression , hypertension, decreased libido and erection problems.

3) The Antidepressants

Antidepressants are generally used for their sedative side effects to treat insomnia. Some of the popular antidepressants are Desyrel (trazodone), Elavil (amitriptyline) and Sinequan (doxepin).The reasonably priced antidepressant Trazodone is the most commonly prescribed sleep medication for the treatment of insomnia. Yet, it has not been certified by FDA officially. Regular use can raise the risk of suicidal thoughts or worsen depression. These drugs are generally recommended when the user is simultaneously experiencing insomnia and depression.

4) "Over-the-counter" Sleeping Medication

Antihistamine is the main ingredient of over-the-counter sleep aids. It is mainly used to treat allergies. There are generally 2 types of antihistamine compounds i.e. doxylamine and diphenhydramine. It is their sedative side effects that make a person sleepy.Popular brands like Tylenol PM and Advil PM successfully blend antihistamine with painkillers acetaminophen and ibuprofen respectively. While sleeping medicines can have a positive effect on short-term insomnia, the next-day drowsiness can be quite common. Tolerance to these sleeping medications can easily develop in just a few days.

There are several types of sleeping pills that can be used for the treatment of insomnia and other sleep disorders. The use of medication to help deal with a sleeping problem should not be taken lightly though. They should not be used without consulting a doctor first. Unfortunately, if you are suffering from severe sleep deprivation symptoms, you may have no other choice. Just make sure you are aware of all the pros and cons of using sleeping pills.

Author's Bio: 

Lewis Carroll is a renowned sleep expert with several published articles on insomnia and sleeping pills . Her write ups are widely read and shared on different online platforms.