If you still can't sleep, get up and read, or listen to music in a darkened room. Then go back to bed when you feel sleepy. They are not risk-free and should be used sparingly. Prescription sleeping pills such as Valium, Xanax, and Halcion can help temporarily, especially if your sleeplessness is caused by a situational anxiety. However, like alcohol, these drugs are false friends.
Side effects can include drowsiness and disorientation, and they can be addictive.
Use them only as a last resort and then for no more than three nights in a row. Melatonin is a human hormone produced by the pineal gland. It plays a role in setting our biological clocks and helps regulate sleep. Melatonin shows promise as a sleeping pill, at least for people who don't produce enough of their own. But it, too, can have side effects, including daytime drowsiness.