Just because some sleep aids are available over the counter doesn’t mean they don’t come with risk, reports North Carolina station WRAL.
For years, Tara Matthews has battled on and off with chronic insomnia. To help get to sleep, she relied on over-the-counter sleep aids.
“That was just the way I coped and made sure I got sleep,” Matthews said.
What she didn’t know is many sleep aids contain diphenhydramine and doxylamine—antihistamines that can make you sleepy.
“Although these ingredients are not physically addictive, there can be a risk of psychological dependency,” said Consumer Reports’ Lisa Gill.
A Consumer Reports survey found 20 percent of people have taken over-the-counter sleep medication within a year, and almost 1 in 5 people took them daily.
The survey also found 41 percent of respondents said they took sleep aids for a year or longer.
Get the whole story at www.wral.com
