sleep

For more information visit my sleep news, articles and reviews site.

If you are thinking of using Ativan think again! Even by the standards of other prescription drugs it is dangerous, and people using Ativan require constant monitoring of kidney and liver function to ensure that it is not causing permanent damage to the body. Ativan is prescribed all too often, both for anxiety and sleep problems, but the prescription of a pharmaceutical drug like Ativan makes the assumption that your anxiety and sleeping problems are being caused by a chemical imbalance when there are many other factors which could be affecting you. Before resorting to the use of Ativan or another benzodiazepine you should try a combination of lifestyle changes, relaxation techniques, cognitive therapy and/or herbal remedies. All of these are obviously side effect and dependency free methods of dealing with anxiety and insomnia, whereas Ativan can lead to addiction, dependency and permanent damage to the body.

Lorazepam has shown moderate effectiveness in controlling anxiety and some effectiveness in the treatment of insomnia. Many people however find that Lorazepam stops working for them after a week or two while conversely another group of people use Lorazepam for long periods of time recreationally. This is because Lorazepam, like most benzodiazepines, produces a very pleasant and euphoric feeling that lends itself to addiction. Also to be taken into account is the fact that one can easily form a dependence on Lorazepam for dealing with anxiety or sleep. These problems will become amplified if one stops taking Lorazepam. Psychiatric science is in its infancy compared to other realms of science, and in the future hopefully there will be much more effective and side effect free drugs than Lorazepam; for now it is best to avoid using prescription anti anxiety drugs if possible and instead look for help in milder forms of treatment such as therapy, introspection as well as natural remedies. St John's Wort and other herbs have been used clinically all over the world and are quite effective in treating anxiety and insomnia. In my opinion, Lorazepam should only be used to correct severe chemical imbalances.

There are sleep disorders like sleep apnea which have definite physical causes, and then there are sleep disorders like onset insomnia which are caused by psychological factors. The second category of sleep disorders is actually more easily treated. With the use of herbal supplements sleep disorders caused by insomnia are effectively treated, though far too many people immediately go for prescription drugs. Sleep disorders do not always require these sorts of drugs, and ideally they should be reserved for only the most difficult and severe cases. Relaxation techniques, change of lifestyle and cognitive therapy can all be very effective in treating anxiety related sleep disorders. The problem with using Ambien to get to sleep is it can be hard to stop, and it can also lead to overdose if not used properly. This is because of the immediate euphoric feeling associated with it can become very addictive. For mild to moderate sleep disorders other methods should first be considered. Sweet dreams.

cloud nine sleepwell