Difficulty falling asleep is a worldwide problem and the use of drugs to induce sleep is commonplace. In the U.S. tens of millions of people use prescription drugs to depress the central nervous system and fall asleep. The two main categories are selective GABA agonists without benzodiazepines such as Ambien, Lunesta and Sonata and benzodiazepines (anti-anxiety drugs) such as Valium, Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan, Restoril and Halcion. Benzodiazepines are also known as benzos or benzies. Both classes of drugs activate the GABA system in the posterior hypothalamus of the brain. GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human brain which acts to calm, relax and quiet the brain.Not all Americans use these drugs like Ambien of Valium. Some use anti-depressants like Trazodone, anti-convulsants like Neurontin; pain medications like Darvocet; muscle relaxants like Flexeril; or over-the-counter anti-histamines like Nytol, Tylenol PM or Unisom. Many people consume alcohol to get to bed, and there are some who get hooked on cough syrup containing alcohol. Prescription drugs, alcohol and over-the-counter drugs all have their side effects. To varying degrees they pose a risk of drug tolerance (needing a higher dose to get the same effect), drug dependence and withdrawal symptoms.
The non-benzodiazepines can cause dry mouth, drowsiness, feeling drugged and dizziness. The most common side effects of benzodiazepines are related to their sedating and muscle-relaxing action. They include drowsiness, dizziness and decreased alertness and concentration. They can produce incoordination with injury-falls and traffic accidents. Decreased libido and erection problems are a common side effect. They can cause depression. Less common side effects include nausea and changes in appetite, blurred vision, confusion, euphoria, depersonalization and nightmares. Cases of liver toxicity have been described but are very rare.
In Germany 20% of adults take benzodiazepines drugs to fall asleep. These drugs are highly addictive and although they are only supposed to be taken for no more 2-4 weeks, many people take them for years. Long term use of benzodiazepines over a period of years are associated with a general deterioration in physical and mental health, including cognitive impairments, behavioral problems, anxiety and depression, loss of sex drive, agoraphobia and social phobia, an altered perception of self and environment, and an inability to experience or express feelings. The most frequent withdrawal symptoms are insomnia, gastric problems, tremors, agitation, muscle spasms, and fearfulness. Less common effects are irritability, sweating, depression, psychosis, suicidal behavior, seizures, and delirium tremors. Severe symptoms usually result as a result of abrupt or rapid withdrawal, so gradual reduction is recommended.
Recently a team of researchers in Germany (Hanns Hatt of the Ruhr University in Bochum and Olga Sergeeva and Helmut Hass of the Heinrich Heine University in Dusseldolf) tested hundreds of fragrances to find a non-harmful substitute for benzodiazepines to induce sleep. They wanted to find out which fragrances, if any, could match the potency of benzodiazepines in activating GABA receptors in the posterior hypothalamus of mice. Their published results in the online July 2010 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry show that the fragrance of jasmine is highly effective in sleep induction. The jasmine fragrance vertacetal-coeur and its chemical variation (PI24513) were able to increase the GABA effect in mice by more than five times and act as strongly as benzodiazepines. This was the case whether the fragrance was injected or inhaled in a plexiglass cage. The mice exposed to the fragrance became extremely tranquil and their brains showed electrophysiologic evidence of the sleep cycle. The researchers were granted a patent for their discovery.
Thus there appears to be a scientific basis for aromatherapy with regard to inducing sleep, and this holds out some promise that people who are now dependent on drugs to fall asleep may be able to use a side-effect free jasmine fragrance instead.
Tags: Sleep Promotion, Stress Management