Pharmacotherapy
When natural recommendations are insufficient to cure insomnia or when an urgent solution is needed, the doctor should be consulted so that the cause of insomnia is discovered and the disease can be treated appropriately. Often, pharmacotherapy [8] for insomnia is employed.
Natural Remedies
Herbal medicines are a gentle alternative to synthetic medicines. Initially, the doctor may recommend natural remedies for insomnia made from medicinal plants, such as chamomile, lemon balm, linden, valerian, or cloves, for example, due to their sedative and relaxing properties.
Motherwort herb tincture has a calming and moderate cardiotonic effect, gently lowers blood pressure, and normalizes heart rate.
Medications
Drug therapy [9] starts with safe drugs. The doctor may prescribe melatonin tablets, which are analogous to their own hormone. They treat sleep disturbances and do not have many side effects. The development of addiction practically does not happen. But if used improperly, nightmares and headaches may appear. Therefore, the drug should be used after consulting a doctor.
Prescription drugs for insomnia are hypnotics including benzodiazepines (nosepam, fenozepam, diazepam), barbiturates (phenobarbital, benzobarbital), and other groups. In some cases, insomnia may be treated with antidepressants. The dosage of the drug and the duration of treatment depends on the diagnosis made and on the current condition of the patient. With insomnia, it is not recommended to take these drugs for a long time, because they can be addictive and side effects such as drowsiness, deterioration of reaction, impaired thinking. With uncontrolled long-term use, they themselves often cause insomnia.
The decision about which medicine to use should be based on the specific component of insomnia that is most problematic for the person, that is, if the person has difficulty falling asleep, wakes up in the middle of the night, or sleeps badly, for example. In addition, drug treatment should be started with the lowest effective dose, in the shortest possible time, and at the end of treatment, the medication should be gradually discontinued.
In addition to the main methods of treating insomnia, many centers use various additional non-drug methods of treatment aimed at enhancing the therapeutic effect. In particular, various physiotherapeutic procedures, acupuncture, psychophototherapy, water procedures, and other methods are used that can stimulate the necessary areas of the brain involved in the process of healthy sleep.
References:
[1] https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia
[2] https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sleep/insomnia-home-remedies#exercise
[3] https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sleep/insomnia-home-remedies#exercise
[4] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-health-and-wellness/201904/cognitive-behavioral-treatment-insomnia-cbti-defined
[5] https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1187829-treatment
[6] https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1187829-treatment
[7] https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1187829-treatment
[8] https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1187829-treatment
[9] https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/treatment