Sleeping uk sleeping pills / tablets (also known as sedatives or tranquillisers) are powerful medications that can cause a number of side effects. The most serious include dependency, addiction and even death, so they are only available on prescription. In February this year, NHS figures revealed that a record one million people were prescribed insomnia medication in the UK each year – up from about a million just 10 years ago. The NHS spends more than PS50m on the drugs a year.

The Landscape of Sleeping Pills in the UK: Types, Regulations, and Usage

A ‘Z drug’ is a type of non-benzodiazepine sleeping tablet, licensed for prescription in the UK, that targets the brain’s calming chemical gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Zopiclone and zolpidem are the only Z drugs currently available on prescription in the UK, although zaleplon used to be included. These drugs are very effective for treating severe insomnia, but long-term use can result in dependence and tolerance. They are often abused, and are associated with increased risk of car accidents, falls and other medical problems.

Supplements containing the natural hormone melatonin do a booming trade in the US, but are only available on prescription in the UK. Slow-release melatonin is sometimes prescribed as a short-term treatment for chronic insomnia in the over 55s, but only on doctors’ advice, and only if other treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) have not been tried. Antihistamines, which also act as sedatives, are available from pharmacists in the UK, but can be habit-forming and cause a ‘hangover’ feeling the next day.