The tranquility of the night should be the best solace for the soul, but for Aunt Li, it has become endless torment. Every night, when the city gradually fell asleep, Aunt Li lay on the bed, counting the cracks in the ceiling, and insomnia quietly invaded her life like an uninvited guest.
On this day, Aunt Li finally mustered up the courage and walked into the hospital with a heart full of anxiety.
"Director Zhang, I've been suffering from insomnia for several months, I can't sleep at night, I don't have energy during the day, and I'm about to collapse." As soon as Aunt Li saw Director Zhang, she couldn't wait to tell her troubles.
After hearing this, Director Zhang smiled gently and said, "Aunt Li, don't worry, insomnia is indeed a headache. However, we must first find out what causes your insomnia before we can treat the symptoms. ”
Just as Director Zhang was about to ask further, Dr. Zhang on the side suddenly interjected: "Director, why don't I prescribe some sleeping pills for Aunt Li first?" Her insomnia is so severe, she definitely needs medication. ”
When Director Zhang heard this, his brows furrowed slightly, and he didn't seem to be very satisfied with Dr. Zhang's proposal. He turned his head to look at Dr. Xiao Zhang, and his tone was a little tested: "Xiao Zhang, sleeping pills are not prescribed casually. You need to understand the type of insomnia you have and then choose the right medication for your specific situation. Tell me, what are the types of sleeping pills? What are the characteristics of each of them? ”
When Dr. Zhang heard this, he was immediately a little flustered. Although he has been in contact with some insomnia patients, he does not have a deep understanding of sleeping pills. He hesitated for a long time, but he couldn't say why.
Seeing this, Director Zhang sighed lightly and said, "It seems that we still have to make up for our homework." Aunt Li, let me tell you about sleeping pills. ”
When Aunt Li heard this, she quickly nodded her head and expressed her willingness to listen.
Director Zhang began to narrate: "Sleeping pills have gone through three generations since their invention. The first generation is mainly barbiturates, chloral hydrate, etc., and these drugs are now used less often. The second generation is estazolam, alprazolam, diazepam, etc., which can increase sleep depth and prolong sleep time, but long-term use may have a dependent effect. The third generation is zolpidem, zaleplon, zopiclone, etc., these drugs have a fast onset of action, generally do not produce daytime drowsiness, and are suitable for people with difficulty falling asleep and elderly insomnia. ”
Speaking of this, Director Zhang paused, looked at Aunt Li, and asked, "Aunt Li, do you usually have difficulty falling asleep, or do you wake up easily after falling asleep, or you can't sleep anymore when you wake up?" ”
Aunt Li thought for a while and said, "I mainly have difficulty falling asleep, and I can't sleep in bed for half a day. Sometimes when I fall asleep, I wake up suddenly and I can't sleep again. ”
Director Zhang nodded and said, "In that case, you can try non-benzodiazepine sleeping pills, such as zopiclone." This medicine works quickly and does not cause daytime drowsiness. However, there are a few things you need to be aware of before taking the medication. ”
When Aunt Li heard this, she hurriedly asked, "What should you pay attention to?" ”
Director Zhang patiently explained: "First of all, when you expect to have difficulty falling asleep, you can take medicine 5-10 minutes before bedtime. If you still can't fall asleep 30 minutes after going to bed, you can take it in time. However, if you wake up during the night and can't fall asleep again and are more than 5 hours away from your expected wake-up time, you can choose a drug with a short half-life to take it immediately. In addition, for patients with chronic insomnia, intermittent treatment with nonbenzodiazepines is recommended, i.e., several nights per week rather than continuous nightly medication. This reduces drug dependence. ”
After hearing this, Aunt Li suddenly realized and said, "I see, I thought that sleeping pills were just taken casually." Director, is there any other way for me to have insomnia than taking medicine? ”
Director Zhang smiled and said, "Of course there is." Insomnia can be treated not only with medications, but also with non-pharmacological treatments. For example, you can try soaking your feet to improve blood circulation and help you relax. You can also try a tea recipe for regulating sleep, and a pot of sleep tea every day can also play a certain role. In addition, you can also hang some soothing sachets at home or put them next to your pillow while you sleep and smell them, which can also help you sleep better. ”
After hearing this, Aunt Li nodded again and again, indicating that she would try these methods. At this time, Dr. Zhang on the side also suddenly realized and said, "Director, you are so right. I used to only know how to prescribe drugs to patients and ignore these non-drug treatments. I'll be sure to pay attention in the future. ”
After hearing this, Director Zhang nodded with satisfaction and said, "That's right." To treat insomnia, we have to comprehensively consider the specific situation of the patient and formulate a personalized treatment plan. You can't rely on drugs alone, and you can't ignore the role of non-drug treatments. ”
At this time, Aunt Li suddenly remembered something and asked, "Director, I heard that melatonin popular on the market can treat insomnia, is it true?" ”
When Director Zhang heard this, he explained: "Melatonin does have a hypnotic effect, but it is not a sleeping pill. Melatonin is a neuropeptide hormone secreted by the pineal gland of the human brain, and its role is mainly to send sleep signals to the body. For some people, supplementing with melatonin may help improve sleep. However, melatonin is not suitable for everyone. Therefore, it is best to consult a doctor before use. ”
After hearing this, Aunt Li said that she would carefully consider using melatonin. She looked at Director Zhang gratefully and said, "Director, thank you so much. I learned a lot about insomnia and sleeping pills today, and I feel much more at ease. ”
Director Zhang smiled and said, "No thanks, Aunt Li." As long as you can get a good night's sleep, that's our greatest wish. ”
This "soul torture" about sleeping pills not only benefited Aunt Li a lot, but also made Dr. Zhang deeply realize his own shortcomings. They all know that the treatment of insomnia requires a comprehensive consideration of the patient's specific situation and the development of a personalized treatment plan. In this process, the doctor's professional knowledge and the patient's trust and cooperation are indispensable.
I believe that many friends who are experiencing insomnia have also gained some inspiration from it. Although insomnia is painful, as long as we recognize it correctly and face it positively, we will definitely be able to find a suitable treatment for ourselves and regain a good night's sleep.
Finally, I hope everyone can have a good dream, so that insomnia will no longer be a problem in life. If you also have questions about insomnia or sleeping pills, you may wish to consult a professional doctor, who will provide you with more professional advice and treatment options.
(Note: This article is a fictional plot and aims to popularize scientific knowledge, and actual medical decisions should be based on the advice of professional doctors and the specific situation of the patient.) ）