Sleeping Tablets

Insomnia is the name for experiencing trouble sleeping and affects many people at some point in their lives. It can be temporary and caused by life events (like stress over an upcoming work commitment) or can persist for weeks or months. There are a number of causes but not getting good quality sleep can affect a person’s wellbeing massively.

Treat insomnia with our range of medications to help you fall asleep faster and to reduce the chances of you waking up in the middle of the night.

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What are Tablets for Sleeping?

Why Use Sleeping Tablets?

Having trouble sleeping can be caused by a number of reasons. There are medications which are used in the treatment of insomnia to help you fall asleep quicker and to reduce the chance of waking up in the night.

Around one in three people suffer from mild insomnia. The consequences of insomnia can be serious, increasing your risks of diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack and even stroke. Insomnia can be a symptom of other ailments. If you are experiencing depression, anxiety or chronic pain, its not difficult to see how this can cause a lack of sleep.

While over the counter sleep medicine can be helpful, most of them are based on antihistamines, and these can become less effective the more you take them. In each case, different medications may be more effective than sleeping pills in resolving the underlying cause of your insomnia. Consult with your doctor to determine the best treatment for your specific situation.

Where to get Sleeping Pills Online

You can get sleeping pills from UK Meds, with overnight shipping most of the week. If you prefer to order your medications online instead of visiting your local pharmacist, UK Meds is a great option. If you need prescription strength sleeping medication, we can fill your prescription online or assist you in getting one with our online doctor service.

UK Meds offers prescription strength medication, such as zolpidem and zopiclone which can break the cycle of insomnia into a more routine pattern of sleep. A prescription is required for these medicines, and there are potential side effects, including daytime drowsiness, dizziness and potential addiction. If you feel that you need stronger prescription pain medicine, but you don't have a prescription, the UK Meds online doctor service can assist you in obtaining one.

Best Prescription Sleeping Pills - The ‘Z’ drugs

Generic name

Trade names (UK)

Forms available

Half-life

Dietary considerations

zaleplon

Sonata

  • capsules

about 1 hr

  • contains lactose

  • contains gelatin

zolpidem

Stilnoct

  • tablets

about 2.4 hrs

  • contains lactose

zopiclone

Zimovane

  • tablets

about 5 hrs

  • contains lactose

Common over-the-counter sleep medications include:

  • Diphenhydramine (found in brand names like Nytol, Sominex, Sleepinal, Compoz)
  • Doxylamine (brand names such as Unisom, Nighttime Sleep Aid)

Where to Buy Sleep Tablets in the UK?

You can purchase the best sleeping pills here at UK Meds. We offer overnight shipping most days of the week. You will be able to determine as you check out when your order will arrive. If you don't have a prescription for sleeping medication, our online doctor service can help you determine if prescription sleep medication is right for you.

What Kind of Sleeping Tablets can you Buy Over The Counter?

There are two types of sleeping medicine, prescription and non-prescription. You can buy both types here on UK Meds. If you don't have a prescription, our online doctor service may be able to help you obtain the medication you need.

UK Sleep Tablets

The following are our prescribed sleep medicines:

  • Zopiclone
  • Zolpidem
  • Zimovane

Non-Prescription Sleep Medication

The following are sleep medicines we sell which do not require a prescription:

  • Nytol One-A-Night
  • Nytol Herbal Tablets

Types of Sleeping Tablets

There are several different types of prescription sleeping pills, classified as sedative hypnotics. In general, these medications act by working on receptors in the brain to slow down the nervous system. Some medications are used more for inducing sleep, while others are used for staying asleep. An example is Ambien, the branded version of generic Zolpidem.

Most sleep medications are classified as "sedative hypnotics." That's a specific class of drugs used to induce and/or maintain rest. Sedative hypnotics include benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and various hypnotics. Benzodiazepines such as Xanax, Valium, Ativan, and Librium are anti-anxiety medications.

List of all sleeping pills & minor tranquilisers currently available in the UK

  • alprazolam
  • Alzain (pregabalin)
  • Ativan (lorazepam)
  • buspirone
  • chloral/cloral
  • chlordiazepoxide
  • Circadin (melatonin)
  • clomethiazole
  • Dalmane (flurazepam)
  • Dialar (diazepam)
  • Diazemuls (diazepam)
  • diazepam
  • Diazepam Desitin (diazepam)
  • Diazepam Rectubes (diazepam)
  • diphenhydramine
  • Dormagen (lormetazepam)
  • Dormonoct (loprazolam)
  • flurazepam
  • Heminevrin (clomethiazole)
  • Lecaent (pregabalin)
  • Librium (chlordiazepoxide)
  • loprazolam
  • lorazepam
  • lormetazepam
  • Lyrica (pregabalin)
  • melatonin
  • meprobamate
  • Mogadon (nitrazepam)
  • nitrazepam
  • Nytol (diphenhydramine)
  • oxazepam
  • Phenergan (promethiazine)
  • promethazine
  • Rewisca (pregabalin)
  • Rimapam (diazepam)
  • Sleep Aid (diphenhydramine)
  • Sleepeaze (diphenhydramine)
  • Sominex (promethazine)
  • Stesolid (diazepam)
  • Stilnoct (zolpidem)
  • temazepam
  • Tensium (diazepam)
  • Welldorm (chloral)
  • Xanax (alprazolam)
  • Zimovane (zopiclone)
  • zolpidem
  • zopiclone

What are Sleeping Pills?

They allow you to go to sleep more easily. A person is prescribed sleeping medication if they are having difficulty getting to sleep. They are also called sleeping pills, sleep aids, sleep medicine, sedatives or hypnotics.

What are some of the different types of sleeping medications?

There are many different classes and brands of sleeping medicine. Your doctor will suggest the one he or she feels will best work for you based on the cause and length of time you have been having trouble sleeping, as well as the specific type of insomnia you are experiencing. Your doctor will also take into consideration any other health conditions you may have, or medications you are taking. Commonly used sleeping pills include:

  • Ambien®, Ambien® CR (zolpidem tartrate)
  • Dalmane® (flurazepam hydrochloride)
  • Halcion® (triazolam)
  • Lunesta® (eszopiclone)
  • Prosom® (estazolam)
  • Restoril® (temazepam)
  • Rozerem® (ramelteon)
  • Silenor® (doxepin)
  • Sonata® (zaleplon)
  • Desyrel® (trazodone)
  • Belsomra® (suvorexant)
  • Over-the-counter sleeping pills (including antihistamines, melatonin, herbal formulations, and others)

What are the names of sleeping tablets? Below you will find a list of both prescription and non-prescription sleeping aids. List of sleeping medicines:

  • Zopiclone (Prescription)
  • Zolpidem (Prescription)
  • Zimovane (Prescription)
  • Nytol (Non-Prescription)

Strong (Prescription) sleeping tablets include the following.

Sleep medicationHelps you fall asleepHelps you stay asleepCan lead to dependence
Doxepin (Silenor)  
Estazolam
Eszopiclone (Lunesta)
Ramelteon (Rozerem)  
Temazepam (Restoril)
Triazolam (Halcion) 
Zaleplon (Sonata) 
Zolpidem (Ambien, Edluar, Intermezzo, Zolpimist) 
Zolpidem extended release (Ambien CR)
Suvorexant (Belsomra)

What are Sleeping Aids used for?

Sleeping aids are medicines used to help people go to sleep more easily. Sleep tablets act by working on receptors in the brain to slow down the nervous system. People use sleep medication when they are having difficulty sleeping. Examples include Zolpidem (Ambien) and Zimovane.

Over The Counter Sleeping Pills UKSleeping Tablets Over The Counter
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Other non-benzodiazepine sleeping pills

These drugs are of several different types and do not form a single group. They vary in their effectiveness and general characteristics.

Generic name

Trade names (UK)

Forms available

Half-life

Dietary considerations

chloral hydrate

Welldorm

  • liquid

more than 6 days

none

clomethiazole/chlormethiazole

Heminevrin

  • capsules

  • liquid

3.6–5 hrs

  • capsules contain gelatin

diphenhydramine

Sleepeaze
Sleep aid tablets

  • tablets

7–17 hrs

  • contains lactose

melatonin

Circadin

  • tablets

3.5–4 hrs

  • contains lactose

promethazine

Phenergan
Sominex

  • tablets

  • liquid

  • injection*

5–14 hrs

  • tablets contain lactose

Prescribed Ambien/Zolpidem and Zopiclone can assist patients with insomnia. These are prescription tablets that are given for short-term treatment. Ideally, a patient should not take these medicines for more than four weeks. Buy sleeping tablets like Zopiclone from UK Meds. This is to prevent the body from becoming dependent on a drug in order to rest. When treatment stops, individuals may also experience withdrawal symptoms and have difficulty resting for a day or two. Patients can rest assured though, that things go back to normal after a few days.

Sleep aids like Ambien are also prescribed to people who are under a lot of stress and tension. It could be due to challenging circumstances, trauma, or the loss of a loved one. In these cases, the pills are prescribed only for a few days, just so the person can get some rest.

You can buy sleeping pills and other sleep medications discreetly here at UK Meds. Your prescription will be filled out and delivered to you in as little as a few hours. Place your orders today!

Sleep hygiene advice

1. Establish fixed times for going to bed and waking up (and avoid sleeping in after a poor night's sleep)

2. Try to relax before going to bed.

3. Maintain a comfortable sleeping environment: not too hot, cold, noisy, or bright.

4. Avoid napping during the day.

5. Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol within 6 hours of going to bed. Consider complete elimination of caffeine from the diet.

6. Avoid exercise within 4 hours of bedtime (although exercise earlier in the day is beneficial).

7. Avoid eating a heavy meal late at night.

8. Avoid watching or checking the clock throughout the night.

9. Only use the bedroom for sleep and sexual activity.

CBT for Insomnia

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a set of techniques that assists people in changing negative thoughts and behaviours, to help them overcomes issues. In the case of insomnia, this works by helping people to work out the root of their sleeping problems and change their ways to try and get a better night's sleep.

Depending on your type of insomnia, there may be a number of different kinds of therapy that work for you. Improving your sleep environment can often be the first port of call. Removing a clock from your bedroom, ensuring your bed is comfortable and not having a TV in your room are all ways that sleep can be improved.

Sleep hygiene (as detailed above) is another example of CBT. Changing your lifestyle can have a massive impact on the way you sleep, as can relaxation therapy (a method that helps to calm your mind and body in preparation for sleep).

For those who are seeing little improvement after trying some basic lifestyle changes, you may want to try stimulus control therapy (removing factors that condition your mind to resist sleep) or sleep restriction therapy (reducing the time you spend in bed to increase readiness for sleep the next night).

Cognitive behavioural therapy is evidence-based, meaning that it has shown to be effective in clinical studies. In fact, the earliest research goes back more than 30 years, showing that this method has been well-researched and well-backed.

Author

Content author

Scott Weaver

Medical Content Writer • Bachelor of Arts Degree

Scott is an experienced, skilled content writer dedicated to creating helpful and accessible medical content for UK Meds.

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