Understanding Sleeping Pills

by Wallace B. Mendelson

Updated Has expanded section on the DORA sleeping pills, newer research and treatment guidelines.

One in ten Americans suffers from chronic insomnia. Many receive sleeping pills and over-the-counter sleep aids. There are many different ones, in what can seem like a bewildering variety. In this book, Dr. Mendelson draws on his experience of 40 years doing research and treatment of insomnia to explain how sleeping pills work, as well as their benefits and drawbacks, and alternative non-medicine approaches. Written with both scientific rigor and compassion, this lavishly illustrated book is designed for readers with non-technical backgrounds who would like to learn more-- and make better choices-- among the many treatments for insomnia.

139 pages, Paperback

Published August 4, 2018

About the author

Dr. Mendelson is a Professor of Psychiatry and Clinical Pharmacology, and director of the Sleep Research Laboratory (ret), at the University of Chicago. He earned an MD degree from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and completed a residency in psychiatry there as well. He has held professorships at Ohio State University and the State University of New York at Stony Brook, was Chief of the Section on Sleep Studies at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, MD, and Director of the Sleep Disorders Center at the Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Mendelson is a past president of the Sleep Research Society. Among his honors is the William C. Dement Academic Achievement Award from the American Sleep Disorders Association/American Academy of Sleep Medicine as well as a Special Award in Sleep and Psychiatry from the National Sleep Foundation, and he is a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Mendelson has authored 15 books and numerous peer-reviewed papers on various aspects of sleep research, psychiatry, and medical history. More information about his work can be found on Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace...) and at his website (www.zhibit.org/WallaceMendelson).

Reviews

[John Crowley]

This author has a way of explaining about medicines so that a person without a scientific background can understand about them, how they help sleep but also what their limitations are. There is background material on insomnia, and also discussion of alternative treatments that do not involve medicines. I feel like reading this book has given me not only a lot of good information, but also a sense of perspective about sleep and insomnia. I definitely recommend it.