How do medications treat sleep disorders?

Dr. Michael Roizen, Chief Wellness Officer for the Cleveland Clinic, describes how medications work to treat sleep disorders. Watch Dr. Roizen's video for information on overall health and wellness.

Taking or avoiding certain medications may be helpful to you, depending on your sleep disorder and its cause. For instance, if you have insomnia caused by depression, taking prescription antidepressants could help your underlying condition and associated sleeping disorder. If you have sleep apnea, you should avoid taking sleeping pills or tranquilizers, as these can aggravate your condition. If you want to try medications that help you get to sleep or stay asleep, talk to your doctor.