What will overdosing on sleeping pills do

Though natural remedies can help with insomnia, some people need more. In cases where patients consistently struggle to get good sleep, doctors may prescribe sedative medications. However, not all bodies react the same way to medication. Studies have shown that the risks of prescription hypnotics outweigh the benefits in most cases. Strong sleeping pills are particularly risky because they can contribute to substance abuse disorders and mental health problems, including depression.

They can also cause a number of negative side effects and can react to other medications you might be taking. If you are considering taking sleeping pills, it is always important to be open and transparent with your doctor so they can prescribe a medication that is safe for you.

Just because a sleeping pill is prescribed for you or available over the counter does not mean it cannot cause health problems. Side effects of common sleep aids such as Ambien, Rozerem, and Halcion may include:. Some sleeping pills especially benzos can be habit-forming, contributing to abuse, withdrawal symptoms, and even overdose.

Even Ambien can cause a euphoric high at certain doses and become addictive. People who have a personal or family history of substance abuse should be especially careful with sleep aids. Painful sleeping pill withdrawal symptoms can also occur if someone has been taking them regularly.

Sedative sleeping pills are usually dosed in small quantities to minimize the risk of overdose. However, if someone takes too many either intentionally or accidentally , there can be serious, sometimes fatal consequences.

Because sedatives and hypnotics slow down critical body functions, an overdose can completely stop vital organs from working. Still, it is best to always be careful with dosages and to avoid mixing with other substances. Beyond giving a person the energy to go about their day whether that includes work, family, friends, or more sleep allows the body to rest. Without enough sleep, a person is at risk for a number of adverse health effects.

The reasons are complex and while there is a lot of research around the issue, there is still much for experts to learn. For severe sleep disorders, prescription sleeping pills are often a helpful and welcome aid to get some sleep. Hypnotic drugs are a class of psychoactive drugs whose primary function is to induce sleep.

Sedatives work to calm or relieve anxiety. Many sleeping pills are referred to as sedative-hypnotics, with the functions of both classes interacting in some prescription sleeping pills. In some cases, antidepressants have been used for short-term treatment of sleep disorders, like insomnia. The risk, which also exists with many other prescription sleeping pills, is for a person to develop a tolerance and dependence on these drugs.

The side effects for prescription sleeping pills varies depending on the makeup of the specific drug. While many people experience similar side effects, it is also hard to predict exactly how each person could react. Common sleeping pills include Ambien, Halcion, and Sonata. Side effects possibly include:. For some sleeping pills, the FDA advises against driving the next day due to the possibility of continuing to feel the effects.

Updated March Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellMind. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data.

We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Symptoms of a sedative overdose include: Slurred speech Unsteadiness Difficulty breathing Dizziness or fainting spells Vomiting Inability to think or respond normally Slowed respiration Slowed heartbeat Increasing coldness of the skin A bluish tinge to the lips, fingers, and skin cyanosis Unconsciousness Shock Coma. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up.

What are your concerns? Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. This can be especially dangerous since excessive intake of these two drugs together can slow the central nervous system and cause breathing disturbances that could be fatal.

Although over-the-counter sleeping pills might seem less harmful since they are unregulated, people who take these drugs can just as easily develop an addiction to them. Those taking over-the-counter sleeping medications like diphenhydramine Nytol, Benadryl and doxylamine Unisom often exhibit the same symptoms of addiction as those who are taking prescription sleep medication.

Some people who abuse sleeping pills may develop parasomnia, a sleep disorder that includes behaviors like sleepwalking, sleep-eating, sleep-driving, sleep-sex and other activities done while sleeping that can lead to deadly consequences.

Dan Kaufer, MD, neurologist, and director of the UNC Memory Disorders program, notes that there are three classes of medications that can have severe cognitive side effects. These include benzodiazepines, opioids, and antihistamines. Benzodiazepines like Restoril temazepam are often prescribed as sleep aids.

These drugs can significantly impair memory and are not generally effective for long-term use as the body quickly builds a tolerance to them. Over-the-counter antihistamines like Benadryl diphenhydramine may also be used for insomnia.

These seemingly harmless drugs can cause confusion in older adults because they block acetylcholine, a brain chemical that affects short-term memory and attention. A sleeping pill overdose can be deadly and is actually a common method of suicide.

It can occur when a person takes a very high dose, especially if they use the drug frequently and it builds up in their system.