How can pharmacists help with sleep problems?

Sion Llewelyn, pharmacy manager at Rowlands Pharmacy, Bala, offers his advice

Start with the basics. Make sure there is not something obvious preventing the patient from sleeping, such as stress. Use your private consultation area to talk to them about sleep difficulties. If they are depressed and anxious, they may need to be referred to their GP.

Ask them about their sleeping environment. Is it comfortable and free from noise? Is the person sharing their bed with someone who snores? If so, you can offer a nasal spray or clips to help ease their snoring.

Check whether the patient is taking pseudoephedrine. This is in a lot of decongestant sprays, and one of its side effects is insomnia. Advise the patient to avoid sugary food and drinks, and caffeine, before they go to bed.

People with sleeping difficulties should avoid alcohol and nicotine – they can make it harder to fall, and stay, asleep.

After a bad night’s sleep, older people often sleep in the afternoon for a few hours and then can’t sleep in the evening. Advise them to reverse this cycle.

A herbal sleeping tablet can aid sleep. There is no evidence that herbal remedies work, but there can be a placebo effect. Also, some patients prefer to take a herbal alternative.

After going through basic counselling about sleep problems, you can advise people to take over-the-counter sleep medication for a short period – up to five days. Hopefully, a regular sleep pattern will be resumed. If they continue to have problems, refer them to their GP.

Broken Dreams

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