There are few things more frustrating than lying down in bed after a long day to find that you simply can’t sleep. You mentally run through your day, trying to find a cause. Did you drink coffee too late in the day? Were you on your cellphone in the hour before bed? Did you not get enough exercise? There are literally dozens of reasons that may be contributing to sleeplessness. But if you’ve eliminated most of them, it may be time to take a closer look at your medicine cabinet. Is your medication causing insomnia?
Whether you take medication occasionally or regularly for a chronic condition, you’re most likely already aware that it has a range of effects on your body. This is because it is almost impossible to entirely isolate a medication’s effects. Medication has the potential to affect virtually all of your systems, depending on its ingredients. These effects can even contribute to insomnia.
Is My Medication Causing Insomnia?
Below are some medications that might contribute to sleeplessness. However, the only way to be sure if your medication is causing insomnia is to visit the best sleep doctor Manhattan has around. There is no better option for insomnia treatment Manhattan could offer.
Antidepressants
Many antidepressants work by regulating your serotonin levels. Serotonin is largely responsible for regulating our mood and contributes to our ability to feel happy. However, the body also uses serotonin to control our sleep cycle. Without the normal ebb and flow of serotonin, many patients struggle to sleep normally. The effects appear to most prominently affect a patient’s ability to achieve REM sleep.
Amphetamines
Amphetamines and other stimulants make it harder to sleep in general due to their direct influence on the central nervous system. Fortunately, you can limit their ability to affect sleep by taking them earlier in the day when possible.
Anticonvulsants
The nature of epilepsy and other seizure-inducing conditions make it difficult to isolate the effects that anticonvulsants may have on a patient’s sleep cycle. However, there is a possibility that the sleep disruptions caused by seizing may be exacerbated by the required medications.
Steroids
Often used as an anti-inflammatory, steroids suppress the function of your adrenal glands. These glands normally produce cortisol, which helps you to deal with stress. Fortunately, the steroids you’re taking normally provide your body with enough cortisol to deal with everyday life, but any added stress can be a real burden. Without the ability to deal with stress naturally, many patients on steroids experience insomnia as a side effect.
Beta-Blockers
Although scientists are still researching the correlation between beta-blockers and insomnia, most agree that the most likely cause is a dip in melatonin. Beta-blockers appear to inhibit your body’s ability to secrete this hormone, which is vital to regulating your circadian rhythm and signaling to your body that it’s time for bed.
When to Speak with a Doctor
These are just a few common medications regularly associated with heightened risks of insomnia and other sleep disorders. Many others could be included here, so if you suspect that your medication may be to blame for disturbances in your sleep, don’t hesitate to speak with your doctor. They may be able to prescribe another medicine that is less likely to affect your sleep patterns.
When that isn’t an option, it’s time to speak with a doctor specializing in getting their patients a better night’s sleep. Dr. Mayank Shukla is a board-certified sleep specialist with an established history of successfully treating a wide variety of patients, including children. So if you or a loved one struggles to sleep, Dr. Shukla’s insomnia treatment may be just the thing you need.
