Struggling to fall asleep can pose a conundrum when the harder you try, the longer you seem to stay awake.
Anyone will have heard the usual advice to count sheep and cut down on caffeine before bedtime. But when you're still wide eyed in the middle of the night and breathing exercises haven't gotten you anywhere, some will turn to sleep aids.
One such medication has been advised against by one pharmacist who says it should only ever be used as a last resort. According to Ian Budd, clinical lead and prescribing pharmacist at Chemist4U, melatonin can cause more problems, including nightmares, night sweats, and weight gain.
One of the most popular sleep aids uses a synthetic version of the sleep hormone melatonin, which is naturally produced by the body at nighttime to control how and when you sleep.
However, Ian says synthetic melatonin should only be taken for short periods if you're struggling with sleep problems, reports the Mirror. The pharmacist says melatonin can be dangerous as it can cause "unpleasant side effects" including nightmares, night sweats, and weight gain.
Ian recommends consulting your doctor before taking melatonin as a sleep aid.
He explained: "Melatonin can be found in a medicine called Circadin. If you've been struggling with your sleep cycle for a while, it's likely you know that melatonin is a natural chemical in the body that helps you to fall asleep.
"But, make sure you know what you're getting into before you pick up your prescription, as Circadin can have some pretty unpleasant side effects such as abnormal nightmares, night sweats and weight gain.
"Sleep aids should only be used as a last resort, after first trying to make some lifestyle changes, such as improving your bedtime routine, cutting down caffeine intake and managing stress. We would recommend consulting with your doctor before using melatonin as a sleep aid to avoid any unwanted side effects."
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