Everybody knows that if it’s over-the-counter, it’s got to be safe. Or is it really? After all, prescription sleeping pills are a lot more tightly regulated by doctors and the FDA. Not to mention a lot more expensive.

Let’s just start with what everybody knows already about over-the-counter sleep aids. Just so everybody’s on the same page.

Firstly, the main ingredient of over-the-counter sleep aids is an antihistamine. Antihistamines are generally taken for allergies, but also make you feel very sleepy.
And yes, while they make you get to sleep faster, there is little evidence that they improve the quality of your sleep at all, much less help treat insomnia.

Meaning, if you really had good quality sleep, won’t you be productive in your following wake hours? That brings me to the second fact that everybody already knows about OTC sleep aids.

OTC sleep aids tend to cause “morning hangovers” or what is explained as residual next-morning sedation due to the fact that antihistamines have long half-lives. That simply means they stay very long in the bodies and therefore continue to cause drowsiness.

So most people usually try to live with that limitation by simply staying away from driving or handling heavy machinery. However, did you know that you would also have to put up with constipation and a racing heartbeat through your day? Did you also know that you could be in a state of confusion, delirium and have urinary retention? These are called anticholinergic side effects of antihistamines. That certainly wouldn’t do for that important office meeting next morning.

Thirdly, common over-the-counter sleep medications are Sleep-Eze, Sominex, Nytol, and Unison that are mostly either diphenhydramine or doxylamine antihistamines.
However, other common OTC sleep aids like Tylenol PM and Advil PM are actually combinations of the painkillers acetaminophen and ibuprofen with an antihistamine, diphenhydramine.

And that is why, the Medical Letter, which reviews drugs, recommends against using antihistamines for sleep. Some doctors say users of Tylenol PM may be taking acetaminophen they do not need. Acetaminophen overdoses can cause liver failure.

As for ibuprofen, common side effects mainly involve the gastrointestinal system. It can cause ulcerations, abdominal pain, cramping, nausea, gastritis, and even serious gastrointestinal bleeding. Sometimes, stomach ulceration and bleeding can occur without abdominal pain, and black tarry stools, weakness, and dizziness upon standing may be the only signs of internal bleeding.

And finally, back to the premise that if it’s over the counter, it’s got to be safe. That is truly the costliest and harmful fallacy that everybody has believed about OTC sleep aids being safer than prescription sleeping pills.

The reason is this. OTC sleep aids are not regulated and therefore, prone to abuse. If the OTC sleep aids were used as they were originally intended for i.e. to treat allergies or relieve mild pain that usually resolve within days, their sedative side effects would have been limited.

And because using OTC sleep aids does not require a doctor’s consultation and supervision, potential drug interactions would not have been flagged out and underlying serious side effects would have gone undetected.

Also, you can develop a tolerance for over-the-counter sleep aids after using them for just a few days. You may find quickly that you’ll need to pop in more pills each time to accomplish the same effect.

Last but not least, a so-called transcient insomnia may progress into a chronic insomnia if the root of the problem is not resolved. A slippery slope indeed. Don’t we all agree that insomnia is just a symptom of an underlying problem? And for many of us occasional insomniacs, it’s always triggered by something called stress.

Here’s a tip. Today, researchers have found that the best treatment for insomnia with the highest success rates is to change our thought patterns to then change our behaviors into those that induce sleep. So, it’s really all in the mind.

Tinnitus Masker ProD

o you need a self benefits recovery procedures that ought to make it easier for your tinnitus to heal? As a tinnitus sufferer, I have authored a self boost guide to recovery centered on my own recovery. Tinnitus Masker Pro

You will not find out scientific evidence behind my findings because I am not a doctor and do not hold any kind of medical or scientific degree. My findings are based on my own experience after seven decades of managing my own chronic Tinnitus. While some people experience tinnitus with little to no discomfort, others experience tinnitus as an extremely painful invasive sound that affects their physical being as well as their emotional and spiritual lives.

The tinnitus can cause lack of sleep, emotional distress, depression, lack of ability to concentrate, fear, anger, and other behavioural changes that will severely affect day to day life. Like most of you who have tinnitus, I have in the past consulted doctors, shaman, healers, acupuncturists and even Shiatsu and Reiki masters. I’ve tried natural medicines, tinnitus maskers, hypnosis, tinnitus retraining therapy, ginko, and so on.

After seeing very little results from these efforts and after doing hundreds of hours of research on the internet I finally came to the conclusion there was only one thing I could do. I decided to get pro active and take ownership of my own healing. Through a long and sometimes painful process I developed the following 4-step plan which had a dramatic effect on my tinnitus and my well-being.

Step 1 – Physical Healing I went back to the gym and committed to an exercise plan. At the same time, I closely monitored my eating habits and I discovered through trial and error the foods to avoid and the foods that actually helped my tinnitus. I started drinking much larger amounts of water to eliminate as much of the bad toxins in my body as I could. I eliminated all alcohol, wheat products, salts, citrus fruits and milk products which drastically affected my tinnitus volume even as little as ten minutes after consumption. * Please consult your medical professional before making any changes to your diet. Tinnitus Masker Pro

Step 2 – Emotional Healing I made a conscious choice to heal those parts of myself that felt victimized and harboured resentment, fear and anger. I began this process by reading self-help books, downloading online seminars, and learning from home. I eventually cured my depression by focusing on and learning everything I could about myself. I attended both personal and professional development seminars to help me through this self-evaluation process. It was the best thing I could have ever done because not only did it help my tinnitus but it made every other aspect of my life better.

Step 3 – Spiritual Healing Before contracting tinnitus I didn’t really understand the connection between mind, body and soul. And, after exploring the relationship between them I discovered a close connection between spirituality and healing. Our belief systems control our reality. Change your beliefs and your reality will change around them. I have learned a greater understanding of my human experience with tinnitus. I feel that tinnitus was a real gift that pushed me down a quicker path to discovering the true meaning of existence.

Step 4 – Mental Healing This is the logical mind. This is the little voice in your head that tells you what you can or cannot do. Through social conditioning, your mind dictates to you what your perceived limitations are. i.e. “I can’t cure my tinnitus because there is no cure for tinnitus.” Well, the fact is; many people have been cured from tinnitus. So, the fact that there is no proven cure does not mean that you cannot be cured. It’s just true in your own mind. Tinnitus Masker Pro

Breaking down your preconditioned mental barriers can cause drastic positive changes not only in your tinnitus but in every aspect of your life. Once you begin to understand and work at each of these four aspects of your life you will begin to see tremendous positive changes in your tinnitus and in your entire well-being. Suffering from Tinnitus and Ringing in Ear? Get your life back forever by checking out Tinnitus Masker Pro now.