Insomnia Treatment

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that involves having difficulty falling or staying asleep. It’s a common condition, with estimates suggesting it affects around 16% of the world’s population.

There are 2 types of insomnia:

1. Short-term (acute) – Usually lasts for less than 3 months and often occurs alongside stressful events, such as the birth of a child, illness, financial difficulties, or environmental disturbances.
2. Long-term (chronic) – Occurs when sleep issues last for longer than 3 months and can affect your mood, energy, and concentration. This type of insomnia often co-occurs with other psychiatric and medical conditions, such as anxiety, depression, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and chronic pain.

Women are 1.5 to 2 times more likely to have insomnia, and more than 25% report it during perimenopause.

Insomnia is when you regularly have issues sleeping and includes symptoms such as:

• finding it hard to go to sleep
• waking up several times in the night
• lying awake at night
• waking up early and being unable to get back to sleep
• feeling tired after you wake up
• feeling tired and irritable during the day
• having difficulty napping during the day, even though you feel tired
• being unable to concentrate because of tiredness

How do I know if I have insomnia?

If you are regularly getting any of the above, it is likely that you have insomnia. Changing your sleep habits and speaking to a doctor about medication can help.

Insomnia can be caused by many different things, including your lifestyle, travelling, stress, and medical conditions. The most common causes of insomnia are:

• stress, anxiety, and depression
• uncomfortable beds
• room temperature (too hot or too cold)
• taking stimulants, such as alcohol, caffeine, or nicotine
• illegal drugs
• jet lag
• shift work
• noise

Some health conditions can cause insomnia, such as:

• mental health conditions (bipolar disorder and schizophrenia)
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Parkinson’s disease
• restless legs syndrome
• overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
• menopause
• chronic pain
• sleep apnoea
• narcolepsy (suddenly falling asleep anywhere)

If you have any of these conditions, or any others, and you think they are causing insomnia, speak to your doctor. They can help you manage your condition better and discuss potential insomnia treatments with you.

Insomnia treatments are available over the counter at most UK pharmacies and on prescription. You may be able to get prescription-strength insomnia treatments online or on the NHS following a consultation with a healthcare professional.

Can I buy insomnia treatment online?

Yes, you can request the insomnia treatments Quviviq and melatonin from Superdrug Online Doctor by:

1. Filling out a short online health questionnaire for one of our doctors to review.
2. Selecting and paying for your preferred treatment.
3. Once approved, we will deliver your medication in plain, discreet packaging to your home address, or you can collect it from your nearest Superdrug Pharmacy.
4. If your order is not approved, one of the doctors will send you a message with advice about what to do next.

Can I get insomnia treatment over the counter?

Yes, you can get some short-term medications over the counter without a prescription. These include herbal remedies and antihistamines, but they are only a temporary solution. At Superdrug Online Doctor, we do not offer over-the-counter insomnia treatments.

Can I get insomnia treatment on the NHS?

Yes, you can get insomnia treatments on the NHS, but you will need to make an appointment with your GP to find out what is available. Your GP may offer CBT-I rather than sleeping pills.

Any medication can cause side effects, including those used to treat insomnia, but not everyone will get them.

Here is an outline of the potential side effects of the prescription insomnia medications offered by Superdrug Online Doctor:

Quviviq side effects

Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)

• headache
• excessive sleepiness
• dizziness
• tiredness
• feeling sick

Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)

• sleep paralysis
• hallucinations
• allergic reactions
• nightmares
• sleepwalking

Melatonin side effects

Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)

• headache
• drowsiness

Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)

• irritability, nervousness, restlessness, anxiety
• abnormal dreams
• dizziness
• high blood pressure
• stomach discomfort
• dry mouth
• nausea
• itching, rash, dry skin
• sugar or excess protein in your pee
• feeling unwell
• weight gain

Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1000 people)

• high blood fat levels
• altered mood
• aggression
• increased sex drive
• memory issues
• restless legs syndrome
• ‘pins and needles’
• watery eyes
• hot flushes
• being sick
• bad breath
• inflamed stomach lining
• nail disorders
• arthritis
• passing large volumes of pee
• thirst
• prolonged and/or painful erection

How long do these side effects last?

Insomnia treatment side effects, such as morning tiredness or dizziness, can last from a few days to a few weeks and usually resolve on their own within a week of stopping the medication. If you get any side effects that are difficult to manage or last for longer than a few weeks, speak to your doctor for advice.

What to do if you get side effects

Most mild insomnia treatment side effects can be managed at home. For example:

• sleepiness or tiredness – stay rested until your body gets used to the medication, and make sure you are taking it before bed
• headache – take an over-the-counter painkiller such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, get some rest, and drink plenty of clear fluids to stay hydrated
• feeling sick – eat smaller, more frequent meals and check the patient information leaflet of your medication to see if you can take it with food
• dizziness – rest until you feel better, stay hydrated, and make sure you are eating enough

Insomnia treatment is recommended for anyone who is regularly having trouble getting to sleep, staying asleep, or frequently waking up in the night. However, insomnia medication may not be right for everyone.

Do not take insomnia treatments if you:

• are under 18 or over 75 years old
• are allergic to any of the ingredients in the medication
• are pregnant or breastfeeding
• have severe liver problems

Quviviq may not be suitable if you have:

• narcolepsy
• drug or alcohol addiction
• depression or have ever had suicidal thoughts
• a psychiatric disorder
• taken medications to manage anxiety or depression
• breathing difficulties, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma
• a history of falling and are over 65

Melatonin may not be suitable for you if you:

• have epilepsy
• have an autoimmune disorder
• have diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance
• smoke
• have impaired liver or kidney function

Insomnia treatments and other medications

Before taking any insomnia medications, you should let your doctor know about any prescribed, over-the-counter, or herbal medications you are taking. That’s because they may interact with the insomnia treatment and vice versa.

Before taking Quviviq, tell your doctor if you are taking:

• certain antibiotics, such as erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, rifampicin
• cyclosporine
• itraconazole
• ceritinib
• HIV medications (ritonavir, efavirenz)
• certain medications that work in your brain, such as diazepam or alprazolam
• medications to treat blood-clotting disorders
• digoxin

Before taking melatonin tablets, tell your doctor if you are taking:

• fluvoxamine
• psoralens
• cimetidine
• oestrogen
• quinolones
• rifampicin
• carbamazepine
• benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics
• warfarin

How do you treat menopause insomnia?

Menopause insomnia is often caused by declining hormone levels that can cause hot flushes, night sweats, and a disrupted sleep-wake cycle. You should speak to your doctor if you are having frequent trouble sleeping and going through menopause. They may recommend hormone replacement therapy (HRT) if your sleep is being disrupted by symptoms, such as night sweats or prescription insomnia treatments like melatonin, to improve your sleep.

How do you treat insomnia due to anxiety?

The treatment for insomnia caused by anxiety will depend on several factors, including your preferences, symptoms, and medical history. A doctor may recommend CBT-I and improvements to sleep hygiene to manage your symptoms, rather than medication.

Can insomnia be cured?

Yes, insomnia can be cured. Short-term insomnia usually goes away on its own when the underlying cause goes away or settles down. The most common causes of acute insomnia are jet lag, stress, anxiety, shift work, and life changes, like having a baby.

Long-term insomnia can also go away, but it can take longer and require specific strategies, such as CBT-I, talking therapies, and/or medication.

Can sertraline cause insomnia?

Yes, insomnia is listed as a very common side effect of sertraline affecting more than 1 in 10 people who take it. If you take sertraline and think it may be causing insomnia, speak to your doctor for more advice.

Can insomnia be fatal?

No, it is unlikely that insomnia itself is fatal, but it can increase the chance of life-threatening conditions. For example, one study found that insomnia increases the chance of a heart attack by 69%. There is a very rare genetic condition called fatal familial insomnia that is fatal, but common insomnia is not the same thing and is not usually fatal.

Can you overdose on sleeping tablets?

Yes, you can overdose on sleeping tablets, which can be life-threatening. If you have taken more sleeping tablets than you should have, contact your doctor immediately or, in the case of an emergency, call 999 or get someone to take you to A&E. Do not drive yourself.

Do herbal sleeping tablets work?

Herbal sleeping tablets may help improve sleep quality in some people, but the scientific evidence is limited. Valerian root extract is one of the most commonly used herbal sleep aids, but there is weak evidence to suggest it is effective.

Can you take sleeping tablets when pregnant?

Most sleeping pills and supplements are not recommended during pregnancy without strict medical supervision. That’s because they have not been proven safe for use during pregnancy and may cause harm to your baby. If you are pregnant and are having issues sleeping, speak to your doctor or midwife for more advice.