Prescription Medications

Minor Tranquilizers and Sleeping Pills

Minor tranquilizers (such as Valium, Ativan, Xanax, and Tranxene) and sleeping pills (such as Dalmane, Halcion, and Restoril) are widely prescribed. However, these drugs can cause problems, including memory loss, addiction, and injuries from falls caused by drug-induced unsteadiness.

Minor tranquilizers can be effective for short periods of time. However, long-term use is often of limited value and introduces the risk of addiction and mental impairment.

Sleeping pills may help for a few days or a few weeks, but using them for more than a month generally causes more sleep problems than it solves. For other approaches, see the topic Sleep Problems.

If you have been taking minor tranquilizers or sleeping pills for a while, talk with your doctor about whether you can stop taking the medication or reduce your dosage. If you have experienced any unsteadiness, dizziness, or memory loss, tell your doctor.

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Author:	Katy E. Magee, MA Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC	Last Updated: July 31, 2006
Medical Review:	Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine Tom Bailey, MD - Family Medicine
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