Naloxone can rapidly reverse opioid overdose by quickly restoring normal respiration to a person whose breathing has slowed or stopped due to mixing opioid pain medications with alcohol. Medications prescribed to lower cholesterol levels (known as statins) can cause flushing, itching, stomach bleeding, and liver damage. Combining these drugs with alcohol can make the risks and side effects worse, especially if you have liver disease. Certain types of anti-nausea medication can be used to help someone who is trying to stop drinking alcohol.
Over the Counter (OTC) Meds: Are They Safer?
Avenues Recovery is a community-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation center with locations across the United States. It’s possible that if you use them together, antibiotics may be less effective at clearing up the infection that you are being treated for. John C. Umhau, https://ecosoberhouse.com/ MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine.
The Impact of Substance Use Among African Americans
Since both sleeping pills and alcohol are central nervous depressants, they can interact together to slow down – or even shut down completely – different internal organs. Mixing anti-anxiety and epilepsy medications with alcoholic beverages can cause slowed breathing, impaired motor control, abnormal behavior, and memory loss. In some cases, mixing alcohol with medications can lead to an overdose or alcohol poisoning—both of which are potentially life-threatening medical emergencies. Barbiturates were used more frequently in the past to help with insomnia, but safer drugs are available today. They can lead to addiction and dependence and can be especially toxic or deadly when mixed with alcohol due to breathing that may drastically slow down or stop altogether, and be fatal.
Building a Support Network
Based on a note to consumers, the severity of combining Unisom and alcohol is major and it’s advised not to take this medication with alcohol. While these prescription medications all aid with sleep, other sleep aids may be purchased over the counter. The most common over-the-counter sleep aids include melatonin and medications containing diphenhydramine, which is the active ingredient in Benadryl. Once the body has metabolised the alcohol, there’s often a “rebound effect” in which the body tries to compensate for the alcohol-induced changes in physiological functions and sleep.
How to get a better night’s sleep
Cymbalta can cause liver damage.Antidepressants called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), like Parnate and Nardil, can cause serious heart problems when combined with alcohol. When mixed with beer or wine, they can also cause dangerously high blood pressure due to an alcohol byproduct called tyramine. In addition, mixing alcohol and sleeping pills can lead to tolerance, which means that you will need to take more of the substances to achieve the same effect.
Effects on the Brain and Body
Avoid drinking if you take valerian, as mixing them canincrease side effectslike dizziness, drowsiness, confusion and difficulty concentrating. In rare cases, mixing valerian with alcoholmay increasethe risk of liver Sobriety damage. Alcohol can help individuals fall asleep faster due to its sedative effects, but it ultimately disrupts sleep quality, particularly affecting REM sleep.
- While these drugs make it less likely your body will form blood clots, they also make you bleed more easily.
- When brain activity is reduced too much, it impedes its ability to carry out functions that are essential to life such as making the heart beat and the lungs breathe.
- Increased sedation from mixing alcohol and sleep aids like doxepin can cause breathing problems, coma or death.
- Remember, sleep is essential to your health and well-being, and it’s always better to prioritize safety over convenience.
Can You Drink Alcohol While You’re on a Medication?
Older adults (especially those who take more than one medication) are also more likely to experience problems, as the ability to clear both alcohol and drugs from the body is reduced with age. If you lie about the amount of alcohol you consume on a regular basis, your doctor can’t accurately judge the risks and benefits of prescribing a particular medication. Alcohol can make some medications less effective by mixing alcohol and drugs causes an effect called interfering with how they are absorbed in the digestive tract.
- By implementing these strategies and seeking appropriate help and support, individuals can take steps towards recovery and lead a healthier, substance-free life.
- Surrounding oneself with individuals who understand and support the recovery journey can provide encouragement, accountability, and a sense of belonging.
- Metabolizing alcohol can deplete some the nutrients that maintain mental health, leading to physical and emotional problems.
- Barbiturates were used more frequently in the past to help with insomnia, but safer drugs are available today.
In addition to the physical health risks alcohol and sleeping pill abuse pose to individuals, the two substances can take a toll on people’s mental health as well. According to researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, alcohol interferes with falling and staying asleep. Sleep interruption from alcohol combined with the sedative effects of sleeping pills can create an intoxicated state during which an individual is consciously asleep while their body is awake. During this state, individuals may engage in risky behaviors without realizing it. Many individuals who use sleeping pills — both legitimately and recreationally — mix alcohol with the medications. Lunesta (eszopiclone) is approved to treat insomnia in people who have trouble falling or staying asleep.
In their confusion, individuals may unintentionally ingest more alcohol or sleeping pills, unaware of the amounts they have already used. About 4% of American adults use prescription sleep medications.4 Most of these drugs come with inserts warning of interactions and dangers. No, most medical professionals think that alcohol is actually quite bad for sleep over time. Ambien (zolpidem) is a prescription-only drug used to treat insomnia, a sleep disorder.
