The following tips help to reduce the risks of sleep-inducing drugs or sedatives.
- Always keep to the doctor’s advice. Do not use more or longer than prescribed.
- Use a sleep-inducing drug at most once or twice a week.
- Do not combine with alcohol or other illegal drugs.
- If you are no longer to stop taking a sleep-inducing drug or sedative, ask a doctor for help.
- If you suddenly take less or stop, you may develop symptoms such as insomnia and anxiety. These complaints are similar to the complaints for which you started taking the medicine. For many people this is the ‘proof’ that they need the medicine. Stop gradually and with a schedule from the doctor. You then have less chance of such complaints.
- Also try some rules that help you to sleep more easily in a natural way. Go to sleep at the same time and get up at the same time every day. Do not eat too late or too much. Avoid alcohol, coffee and cola, especially in the evening. Only use your bedroom for sleeping, not for reading or watching TV. Daily physical exercise in the morning or early afternoon helps, but avoid great efforts in the evening.
