For some people a sleepless night may seem a perfect chance and a good time to do some things a person did not manage to do during the daytime: to work, to study, or just to read an interesting book. From my own experience I know that insomnia takes away not only the sleep and rest, but the desire and inspiration to do anything as well. A person does not even feel like watching TV or listening to favorite music. So there he is – an insomnia sufferer – lying on the couch sleepless, restless, tired, and angry.

 

A good way to avoid such situation - definitely, familiar for millions of us - is to take a pill of Restoril at bedtime (a doctor defines a dose individually for every patient). This drug is commonly acknowledged to be one of the most effective and safest options in the short-term fight against insomnia and other sleep disturbances.

 

Restoril belongs to the class of sedatives known as benzodiazepines. Its active ingredient temazepam ensures healthy sleep for at least 7 hours without frequent waking up during the night and waking up early in the morning.

 

Restoril works by affecting benzodiazepines receptors in the brain and enhancing the inhibitory action of gamma-aminobutyric acid-A, which results in muscle relaxation, anticonvulsant action, memory and motor coordination sedation.

 

The fact that Restoril works in the brain explains its efficacy in the treatment of insomnia. The fact that the drug is broken down in the liver, being easily and quickly distributed in the body, explains its safety and low incidence of side effects.

 

In short, Restoril deserves attention and detailed description of its pros and cons.

 

Benefits

Restoril starts working quite fast, so in about thirty minutes after its administration a person will be able to enjoy restful sleep. Among the greatest benefits of this medication is the low risk of the next-day hangover or grogginess. Memory loss occurs in a very small number of patients, which is also an advantage of the pills.

 

The drug has also proved to be a safe option for insomnia sufferers, since it has been prescribed for more than two decades, and this is quite a long history of use. Sensitive people, however, may feel dizzy, have difficulties with coordination, or experience drowsiness and lightheadedness. These unwanted reactions, however, are common for the whole class of benzodiazepines.

 

Although the discontinuation of these hypnotics may cause the condition called rebound insomnia (the aggravation of sleep disturbances for several days), the incidence of this event is much lower with Restoril.

 

The risks of drug dependence were evaluated by a number of clinical studies. They, however, showed that Restoril is much safer in this regard in comparison to other benzodiazepines. Similarly, tolerance development is significantly lower with Restoril.

 

This medication is quite a comfortable option to use in the fight against insomnia. Restoril interacts with only a small number of drugs; thus, even if a person has to take some other pills, he or she is on the safer side with Restoril.  

 

One of the greatest advantages of Restoril is the safety of its use in elderly due to low rates of side effects. It is a common knowledge that older people often suffer from waking up early in the morning or during the night. It is possible to say that Restoril was designed with a thought about these patients. Pills dosing allows taking the lowest effective amount of the drug, thus reducing the risks of side effects occurrence.

 

Risks

As with the majority of benzodiazepines, Restoril is forbidden for pregnant and breastfeeding women or those women who intend to become pregnant. There is data reporting about the risk of defects occurrence in the developing or nursing baby.

 

It was also reported that Restoril may cause addiction if used for a long time. Treatment must be limited to 10 days or two weeks only.

 

Risks of side effects occurrence and excessive sedation of the central nervous system increase significantly if the drug is used with other sedatives and hypnotics. Restoril should never be combined with antidepressants, antihistamines, tranquilizers, narcotics and barbiturates.

 

One more important thing about Restoril is that the severity of adverse reactions depends on the dose. Thus, the lowest effective dose of the medication should always be taken.

 

To sum it up, it is possible to suggest that treatment efficacy and risks often depend on the accuracy of following the doctor’s recommendations and instructions of the prescribing information. Sadly, but even the best things and intentions can be brought to nothing by the stupidity of men.

 

Ivanna