Negative Effects of Sleep Medicines:

• Tolerance: Sleep medicine should not be use for a long period of time, once your body gets used on sleep medicine it may lose its effect on helping you fall asleep. Sleep medicine should in most cases, be used only for short periods of time like 1 to 2 days and not longer than 1 to 2 weeks. If after a few days of taking sleep medicine and you are still having sleep problems, consult your doctor again and he will determine other treatment that can help solve your sleep problem

• Dependence: Like other medicine, sleep medicines can also cause dependence when used for longer than a few weeks or at high doses. Once the person develop dependence, it will be hard for them to stop using sleep medicine and if they suddenly stopped, the body will not be able to function normally and unpleasant symptoms may occur. Caution: If you have a history of addiction to either or both alcohol and/or drugs you have a higher chance of getting addicted to sleep medicine. Make sure to tell this problem to your doctor before you ask for sleep medicine prescription.

• Withdrawal: Withdrawal symptoms can happen when a person suddenly stopped taking sleep medicine after being used on taking this medicine for a long time. But there are also cases that withdrawal symptoms occur even if the medicine has been used for only a week or two. Withdrawal symptoms includes: irritability, muscle cramps, vomiting, shakiness, sweating.

• Memory Problems: Sleep medicine may cause memory loss, if this happen a person may not remember what has happened for several hours after taking the medicine, but this is not usually a problem because most people fall asleep immediately after taking the medicine. Make sure to talk to your doctor immediately if you are experiencing memory loss. But memory problems rarely happen in people who are taking sleep medicine.

• Behavioral Changes: There are people who have experience changes on their behavior and thinking while taking sleep medicine. But other factors may play a role why behavioral changes happen, this includes: person's general health and the use of other medicines. If you experience changes in your behavior call your doctor immediately.

Behavioral changes that may happen when taking sleep medicine: Confusion, Anxiety, Strange behavior, Hallucinations, Depression, Aggressive behavior, Suicidal thoughts

• Recurring Insomnia: Person may have more trouble sleeping the first few nights after they stop using sleep medicine. If you experience this don't fret, problem usually goes away on its own after 1 to 2 nights. If you have been taking sleep medicines for more than 1 to 2 weeks, do not stop taking it on your own. Always follow doctor's direction.

• Pregnancy: Sleep medicines may cause sedation of the unborn baby when used during the last weeks of pregnancy. Be sure to tell your doctor if you are pregnant, if you are planning to become pregnant, or if you become pregnant while taking sleep medicine.