Table of contents:
- Effects that may occur when sleeping pills mix with alcohol
- Then, how to use sleeping pills that are correct and do not harm the body?
Melatonin is one of the ingredients contained in sleeping pills that are often used for people who have insomnia. In fact, melatonin itself is produced naturally in the human body. The function of melatonin is a hormone that controls sleep patterns or drowsiness in the body.
Please also note, as we get older, our bodies produce less of the hormone melatonin. If this is the case, many people use the drug melatonin to complement the lack of sleepiness and improve sleep quality.
However, if you do drink alcohol occasionally, make sure you don't drink alcohol at the same time you take sleeping pills that contain melatonin. Why?
Effects that may occur when sleeping pills mix with alcohol
Basically, doctors and health professionals do not recommend that you take sleeping pills and alcohol at the same time. Both are included in the category of sedatives, and this can interfere with the quality of your sleep.
Consuming melatonin and alcohol can also increase negative side effects for the body, especially headaches and excessive sleepiness. Although alcohol is a sedative that can make you feel sleepy after a few drinks, it can also reduce the amount of the natural hormone melatonin your body creates, which in turn disrupts your sleep cycle.
Alcohol consumption in general can also cause some of the muscles around your airflow to work differently and affect how your respiratory system works. This can make it difficult to sleep if you have breathing problems, such as sleep apnea.
Since combining sleeping pills and alcohol can cause negative side effects for your health, this is clearly not recommended. Some of these side effects can be annoying or potentially dangerous, such as the examples below:
- Excessive drowsiness, which can make it more difficult for you to carry out daily activities. Examples such as driving or focusing on certain tasks
- You feel dizzy and have increased anxiety, which can make you feel irritable or increase your blood pressure
- The face and upper body parts such as the chest and neck become sweaty
- Swelling appears on the wrists or feet
- Heartbeat becomes abnormal
- Feeling cold or shivering for no apparent reason
- Difficulty breathing
- Fainting
Then, how to use sleeping pills that are correct and do not harm the body?
The use of sleeping pills and alcohol together is not recommended. The use of melatonin sleeping pills should be done separately from other medicines. It's a good idea to consult with your doctor about how many doses of the drug melatonin are appropriate to help your sleep problems.
Generally, the dosage is adjusted depending on your health problem, age, and how long you have been taking melatonin for sleep problems.
The dosage used to help you sleep is usually between 0.1 mg and 5 mg. It is difficult to determine the right dosage for each person because melatonin is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (BPOM). The dosage can also vary according to the brand of melatonin you choose.
To be safe, here are some general usage guidelines for taking melatonin drugs:
- Take 1 pill of melatonin about 30 minutes to 1 hour before your bedtime schedule.
- There are various ways to take melatonin. Tablets are the type most widely available in stores. Melatonin is also commonly added to several food and beverage products. But taking, pills / tablets is the safest and most effective way to take melatonin.
- After taking melatonin supplements, avoid activities that expose you to blue lights or lights. These activities include watching television or using cellphones, laptops, or other visual electronic devices. This type of light can cause your body to produce less melatonin, making the additional melatonin drugs less effective for the body.
