Mayo Clinic: Older adults with sleeping concerns should be very cautious about sleeping pills, according to the April issue of
Mayo Clinic Health Letter. While sleeping pills can at times be an effective part of therapy to
improve sleep, older adults are more susceptible to side effects such as
dizziness, lightheadedness and a risk of dependence. Sleeping pills
also suppress breathing, which can worsen breathing problems such as
sleep apnea.
Other side effects can include problems with thinking and body
movement, drowsiness after waking up, or having daytime memory and
physical performance problems. Sleeping pills use may increase the risk
of falling, particularly at night.
When a sleeping pill is needed, short-acting, newer-generation drugs
are usually the first choice. They include zaleplon (Sonata), zolpidem
(Ambien, others) and ramelteon (Rozerem). Side effects are common but
they tend to occur less frequently and with less severity than
older-generation benzodiazepines.
Low doses of antidepressant drugs that cause sleepiness may be an
option for those who also have depression. Options include
amitriptyline, doxepin (Silenor), mirtazapine (Remeron) and trazodone.
Mayo Clinic sleep experts recommend that older adults keep sleeping
pill use to a minimum, as an occasional sleep aid or over the short term
of a few weeks while other options to improve sleep are explored with a
care provider.
