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Traditional Sleep Medications

Meaning

Traditional Sleep Medications are a class of pharmaceutical agents, often including benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepine hypnotics (Z-drugs), and certain antidepressants, prescribed primarily to induce or maintain sleep by broadly depressing central nervous system activity. While effective for acute insomnia, these agents typically alter the natural sleep architecture, often suppressing the critical deep sleep (SWS) and REM phases, and carry risks of dependence, tolerance, and residual cognitive impairment the following day. In the context of hormonal health, their use can indirectly impair the nocturnal release of restorative hormones like growth hormone. We approach these with caution due to their systemic impact.