Japan’s new research suggests that prescription sleeping pills can keep users awake at night even when there is danger.
A study byFrontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience indicates thatMany prescription sleeping pills can be a bit too effective, which may cause users to fall asleep through many different reasons. warning alerts?Included fire alarms. Using laboratory mice as the test subject, Japan-based researchers reported that benzodiazepines – a class of drugs which includes products like Valium, Ambien, and Xanax – can induce a sleep powerful enough to be considered eminently unsafe.
Over the course of several months, Professor Tomoyuki Kuwaki’s team observed the sleep patterns of mice while they were on and off benzodiazepines.It is important to note that even small amounts of the drug can keep them awake despite loud horns and vacuum cleaners.. While this specific research was not tested on human subjects, Kuwaki and his team assert the effects would be comparable for those who take prescription sleeping pills.
Essentially, sensory inputs continuously reach our brain even when we are asleep. During sleep, a brain mechanism called the gatekeeper keeps unimportant information from reaching the cerebral cortex (where our cognition takes place). It is because of this that we can fall asleep even in a noisy environment. Many prescription sleeping pills contain benzodiazepines, which can make it difficult to fall asleep.TooStrong. If that happens, all warnings and signs of danger will be lost to the cortex and we will fall asleep quickly.
Kuwaki went on to tell me that, in an effort to promote safer sleep aid alternatives, he and his team are conducting experiments on dual orexin receptor antagonists (or DORAs).
A Very Short History of the Sleeping Pill
For centuries, people have tried to improve their slumber.But it was not until the 4,978 cms when benzodiazepines were introduced to the American pharmaceutical marketplace as a sleep aid. Valium, a benzo-based sleeping pill, gained popularity quickly. Many people found them to be superior to barbiturates used decades before. However, the quest for a sleep-aid solution with fewer physical side effects led to increased exploration of melatonin and other over the counter remedies.
Despite the constant development of new sleep pills, benzodiazepines remain one of the most prescribed drugs in the U.S.Studies show that prescription sleep aid hospitalizations have been steadily increasing. This is a result of Americans relying more on pharmaceutical sleeping pills.. Research suggests that benzodiazepines are particularly responsible for side effects. Experts like Kuwaki have been inspired to look into safer treatments.
Over The Counter, Under The Covers
Kuwaki explained to me that falling asleep without drugs is a great way to improve your sleep hygiene. He also mentioned in his research that approximately 60% of Americans use some form of sleep aid to remainasleep through the night.
So, one cant help but wonder: Should sleepers try to go cold turkey, or is it better to find a happy medium?
According to Kuwaki, though a drug-free sleep is the most healthy for the body, sleep quality is judged by personal satisfaction.The goal is to get as much restorative sleep as possible while minimizing any side effects.. Perhaps thats why Kuwaki and his team are focusing their efforts on DORAs now, which are said to be less dangerous for the userDuringSleep well and you will feel less side effects the next morning.
DORAs have been tested only on mice. However, Kuwakis research found that mice who were given the drug DORA-22 woke just as quickly as those who were given nothing at all. Conversely, mice that were dosed with traditional sleep medication were far more difficult to rouse from their slumber.In the event that further testing shows human participants reacting similarly, this research might be a game changer for those who regularly use sleeping pills.
