What Causes Insomnia In Males and Females? A sleepless night can be incredibly frustrating. They tend to turn into a tiresome cycle that can be difficult to break: It starts with many hours of tossing and turning, which might send your mind racing to identify everything keeping you up. As a result, falling asleep can become even harder.
Could your recent Sudafed dose be keeping you up? What if one of the medications you may be taking at times is also causing your sleep problems? We’ll look at such common medications that cause insomnia symptoms and may keep you awake.
What Causes Insomnia In Males and Females?
Could-your-medication-be-causing-insomnia?
Prozac and other SSRIs
SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are common antidepressants that raise serotonin levels in your brain. Serotonin plays many vital roles in your body, including mood and sleep.
SSRIs — Medications like fluoxetine (Prozac) and citalopram (Celexa) — are widely prescribed antidepressants for anxiety and depression. Despite their effectiveness, one of their most common side effects is having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.
Consult your healthcare provider about the best time to take your SSRI if you’re taking one and are experiencing trouble sleeping. In addition, you can ask them about other options than the SSRIs that are less likely to cause sleeping problems since not all antidepressants are created equal.
Stress is a major cause your body to release a hormone called cortisol, which can keep you awake at night.
Corticosteroid medications like dexamethasone and methylprednisolone (Medrol) can also mimic cortisol. This can lead to restlessness and difficulty sleeping.
In many cases, insomnia from corticosteroids should be short-lived. This is because these medications are typically only used for short periods of time. It is also recommended to take your corticosteroids in the morning. You should consult your healthcare provider if your insomnia symptoms don’t go away or if you need to take long-term corticosteroids.
Decongestants such as Sudafed
Decongestants are standard treatment options for a stuffy nose caused by cold or seasonal allergies.
Oral decongestants —such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) or phenylephrine (Sudafed PE) — are a go-to option for relief. Nasal decongestant sprays, such as oxymetazoline (Afrin), are also widely available. One of the most common side effects is insomnia (difficulty sleeping). This is primarily the case with oral and other decongestants.
Depending on how bad your insomnia may be and how bad you are congested, your healthcare provider may recommend something other than a decongestant. A steroid nasal spray, an antihistamine nasal spray, or nasal saline can be prescribed if they decide to try another medication.
Propranolol is a beta blocker
Beta-blockers are often prescribed for high blood pressure and other heart conditions. Among the most popular beta blockers are metoprolol succinate (Toprol XL), carvedilol (Coreg), and propranolol. There are, however, side effects, such as insomnia and nightmares.
You should speak to your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you experience side effects like these while taking a beta-blocker. You can speak to them about alternative treatment options and tips and tricks to manage these and other symptoms, such as avoiding exercise and stimulating activities before bed.
Aricept is a Cholinesterase inhibitor.
Alzheimer’s disease is the very common form of dementia. One group of Alzheimer’s medications that can treat specific symptoms, such as confusion and memory loss, are cholinesterase inhibitors, such as donepezil (Aricept, Adlarity). By increasing the levels of acetylcholine in your body, they help improve memory and learning symptoms.
One of the very common side effects of cholinesterase inhibitors is trouble sleeping and their effects on learning and memory. You should contact your loved one’s healthcare provider if they are experiencing insomnia due to Alzheimer’s.
Theophylline (7)
Asthma and COPD are treated with theophylline (Elixophyllin, Theo-24).
Theophylline can have many different effects on your your body, even though it helps your lungs. Some people reported that theophylline’s most common side effects are similar to excessive caffeine intake. Sleep problems can result from drinking too much coffee too close to bedtime.
In most cases, this side effect is temporary. If it persists, this could indicate your theophylline dose is too high. If you take theophylline, your healthcare provider will monitor your blood levels regularly to prevent theophylline toxicity.
Replacement of thyroid hormones
Levothyroxine (Synthroid) is the first choice medication to treat hypothyroidism caused by an underactive thyroid gland.
It is common to experience insomnia when you first start taking levothyroxine. It is common to develop symptoms resembling hyperthyroidism, such as insomnia, anxiety, and excessive sweating, when your levothyroxine dose is too high. Your Doctor or provider should routinely check your blood work and adjust the quantity accordingly.
Nicotine replacement medications such as Nicoderm CQ
Many people rely on nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). There are many over-the-counter (OTC) NRT options available. Nicotine patches (Nicoderm CQ) are one option. Nicotine gum or lozenges are other options.
In particular, trouble sleeping and vivid dreams are common side effects of nicotine patches, especially if you leave them on overnight. Talk to your healthcare provider about another alternative to nicotine patches if you’re having sleeping troubles.
Is it a good idea to take Sudafed before bedtime?
It is best to avoid taking medications such as Sudafed before bed. These medications are notorious for making it tougher to fall asleep. By taking them in the morning – or at least a 5/6 hours before bed – they are less likely to cause insomnia.
You can learn more about taking your medications at the right time from your pharmacist or healthcare provider.
If your medications are causing insomnia, what should you do?
It would help if you didn’t ignore insomnia that doesn’t go away. If you think that your medications are causing insomnia, you should speak with your healthcare provider. They may:
- Provide an alternative medication recommendation.
- It would be best if you reduced the dosage of your medication.
- Consider taking the medication at a different time of day.
They may also recommend a sleep supplement in some cases. For insomnia caused by medications, melatonin is one of the most widely available OTC supplements to promote sleep. However, it is only sometimes practical. Ask your pharmacist if melatonin may be an effective option for your situation.
Here are some more tips to help you sleep better
To promote better sleep, you can take several steps on your own. Here are a few tips:
Before going to sleep, turn off bright screens and sources of blue light (such as TVs, laptops, and smartphones).
Blackout curtains will keep your room dark or dim.
Take a bath, shower, or meditate before you begin.
It would help if you only use your bed for sleeping and intimate activities.
Exercise in the morning or during the day instead of several hours before bedtime
During the day, avoid or minimize napping.
Caffeine should be avoided up to six hours before bedtime. Try to limit coffee after 12:00 Pm. Morning coffee is great and give you the boost you need, but after supper is a not a good for a good nights sleep.
What Causes Insomnia In Males and Femalesthese are some tips tht coiuld help. You can buy a wrist band devise online that is some what helpfull yet not medical grade. It can help you see what your sleep patterns are.
Read more – Tips for Creating a Meditation Space in Your Home
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