Rozerem - a Safer Sleep Aid with Less Side Effects?

Non-Narcotic Ramelteon Versus Conventional Sleep Medication

You may have heard about the most recent FDA approved prescription sleep aid, Rozerem (Generic Name: Ramelteon), or even seen one of the commercials on the drug, such as the insomniac talking to Abraham Lincoln.

Unfortunately, sleep aid commercials do not often provide fair representations of these medications and Rozerem is no exception. Loss of libido and lactating breasts for instance, both potential Rozerem side effects, are not well publicized.

If sleep aid commercials were accurate, the one on Lunesta, for example, would show a drunk-like butterfly bumping into the walls, or one too tired to fly. This would represent how Lunesta affects some people.

While sleep aids are a wonderful invention, and insomnia is a serious problem, sleep aids are not without potential side effects and risks.

Yet, Rozerem is clinically shown to be better tolerated than conventional sleep medications and is the first FDA approved medication for insomnia that is not a controlled substance.

Who Can Benefit From Rozerem?

As they say, your doctor will determine if Rozerem is right for you, but the following categories of individuals are noted to possibly benefit from Rozerem:

People diagnosed with insomnia concerned about the usual side effects of sleep aids, such as grogginess, memory loss and poor balance, may find Rozerem useful.

Rozerem is non-narcotic and shows zero incidence of addiction or tolerance, so Rozerem may be recommended for individuals who have these concerns.

No rebound insomnia has been shown in clinical studies so Rozerem can be safe for long-term use.

With a low incidence of side effects and few drug interactions, Rozerem is a sleep aid reportedly worthy of consideration for the elderly insomnia.

How Does Rozerem Work?

Sleep is regulated by an internal master clock, which under optimal circumstances sends the proper signals to the brain during the sleep/wake cycle, sometimes referred to as the circadian rhythm. This 'clock' involves a small cluster of neurons located in the hypothalamus and is called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).