Response 1
Thank you for your informative post on sleep.
As you said in your post, benzodiazepines are not very useful as a backup to over-the-counter sleep aids. Benzodiazepines should be used as a last resort for sleep issues due to their highly addictive nature and the fact that they can cause physical and psychological dependence. They can also cause several side effects, including drowsiness, confusion, and impaired coordination. Long-term use of benzodiazepines can result in tolerance, leading to an increased risk of overdose and other serious health problems (Limandri, 2018).
Benzodiazepines can also interfere with the body’s natural sleep cycle. They can suppress melatonin production (Atsmon et al., 1996), a hormone that helps regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycle. This can lead to difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep and daytime fatigue.
In addition, benzodiazepines can cause rebound insomnia, meaning that when the drug wears off, the insomnia returns. This can lead to a cycle of taking the medication to fall asleep, followed by difficulty sleeping when the drug wears off (Limandri, 2018).
Benzodiazepines are potent drugs that can be dangerous if not used properly. They can be habit-forming and can lead to physical and psychological dependence. Furthermore, they can cause a range of side effects, including drowsiness, confusion, and impaired coordination. Ultimately, it is best to use safer, non-addictive sleep aids such as melatonin or non-addictive prescription medications to help patients get a good night’s sleep.
References
Atsmon, J., Oaknin, S., Laudon, M., Laschiner, S., Gavish, M., Dagan, Y., & Zisapel, N. (1996). Reciprocal effects of chronic diazepam and melatonin on brain melatonin and benzodiazepine binding sites. Journal of Pineal Research, 20(2), 65-71. 10.1111/j.1600-079X.1996.tb00241.x
Limandri, B. J. (2018). Insomnia: Will Medication Bring Rest? Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 56(7), 9-14. 10.3928/02793695-20180619-03
Response 2
Thank you for your sharing your post. It offered an extensive perspective on this week topic. I agree with you that there are more than two categories of sleep disorders. American Psychiatric Association (2022) elucidates that common sleep disorders include insomnia disorder, hypersomnolence disorder, narcolepsy, breathing-related sleep disorders, circadian rhythm disorders, nightmare disorder, rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorders, restless legs syndrome, and substance/medication-induced sleep disorder. A common attribute among people with sleep disorders is that they report dissatisfaction with the quality, timing, and amount of sleep. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022) recommends that once an individual notes that their sleep problems hurt how they feel of function during the day, the individual should keep a diary of their sleep habits for about ten days before visiting the doctor. The approach will make it relatively easier for the physician to arrive at a definitive diagnosis. Overall, the common sleep disorders that affect daily operations are about ten. I also agree that a relationship prevails between menopause and sleep disorders. Lee et al. (2019) document that sleep disorders are common among women approaching menopause. Common symptoms of sleep disorders among such females include difficulties falling asleep, frequent awakening, and early morning awakening. Lee et al. (2019) postulate that vasomotor symptoms and ovarian hormone changes are responsible for the heightened vulnerability to sleep disorders among females in menopause. The associations assert a positive correlation prevails between sleep disorder and menopause. I also discovered that over-the-counter sleep drugs are preferable to prescription drugs. The preference is informed by the realization that the former has fewer undesirable side effects compared to the latter. It was an enlightening experience going through the content of your post. References American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-5-TR. American Psychiatric Publishing. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, September 14). What If I Can’t Sleep? https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/cant_sleep.html Lee, J., Han, Y., Cho, H., & Kim, M. R. (2019). Sleep Disorders and Menopause. Journal of Menopausal Medicine, 25(2), 83. https://doi.org/10.6118/jmm.19192
Response 3
Thank you for your post. I wanted to dig a bit deeper regarding menopause and sleep disturbances as sleep disorders during this phase of life are very common. Hot flashes and vasomotor symptoms (VMS) occur in up to 80% of women and this symptom can cause major sleep disruptions (Song et al., 2022). Other menopausal symptoms that disrupt sleep include joint and muscle discomfort, depression, anxiety, and genitourinary problems (Song et al., 2022). These sleep challenges can decrease a woman’s quality of life and negatively impact her health and lead to cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis (Song et al., 2022). Studies have found that menopausal sleep quality is linked to the severity of one’s menopausal symptoms and insomnia during this time is often connected to anxiety and depression (Song et al., 2022). Given these findings, it is important to properly assess women in this age group as hormone treatment may not resolve sleep issues since sleep disorders are often much more complicated (Song, 2022).
I found several studies that looked at treating menopausal sleep disorders. A recent survey looked at the use of medical cannabis (MC) to treat menopause-related symptoms including sleep disturbances. These researchers found the survey responses showed promising results but suggest additional clinical trials (Dahlgren et al., 2022). Another study looked progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and health education (HE) as a potentially helpful treatments for women suffering from sleep problems (Pelit et al., 2022). These researchers found that when incorporated into the treatment plan, HE and PMR are effective in helping to manage menopausal vasomotor symptoms and insomnia (Pelit et al., 2022).
Thank you again for your post.
Sincerely,
Heather Henry
References (Please note hanging indentation may not have been retained)
Dahlgren, M. K., El-Abboud, C., Lambros, A. M., Sagar, K. A., Smith, R. T., & Gruber, S. A. (2022). A
survey of medical cannabis use during perimenopause and postmenopause. Menopause,
29(9), 1028–1036. https://doi.org/10.1097/gme.0000000000002018
Pelit Aksu, S., & Şentürk Erenel, A. (2022). Effects of health education and progressive muscle
relaxation on vasomotor symptoms and insomnia in perimenopausal women: A randomized
controlled trial. Patient Education and Counseling, 105(11), 3279–3286.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2022.07.015
Song, Z., Jiang, R., Li, C., Jin, F., & Tao, M. (2022). Menopausal symptoms and sleep quality in
women aged 40–65 years. BioMed Research International, 2022, 1–6.
https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/2560053
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