Types of prescription sleeping pills

Prescription sleeping pills may help you fall asleep easier or stay asleep longer — or both. The risks and benefits of various prescription sleeping pills can differ. To find the right prescription medication to help you sleep, your doctor generally should:

• Ask questions to get a clear picture of your sleep patterns
• Order tests to rule out any underlying conditions that may be causing difficulty sleeping
• Discuss options for taking prescription sleeping medication, including how often and when to take it and in what form, such as pills, oral spray or dissolving tablets
• Prescribe a sleeping pill for a limited period of time to determine the benefits and side effects for you
• Have you try a different prescription sleeping pill if the first medication you take doesn't work after the full prescribed course
• Help you determine whether there is a generic version, which is typically less expensive than brand-name drugs

Insurance companies may have restrictions on which sleeping pills are covered, and they may require that you try other approaches to your insomnia first.

Prescription sleep medication options include the following.