No matter how much we exercise or how nutritious our diet is, there is no substitute for a good night’s sleep. Sleep maintains our energy while awake and boosts our immune system, in addition to helping our focus. Certain areas of our lives can seriously be affected if we are deprived of adequate rest.

Often, insomniacs resort to sleeping pills, seeking the restful sleep that is eluding them. However, there is no clear consensus about whether or not pills are the best option. Pros and cons include:

The Good News

• Recent scientific developments in sleeping pills have reduced the risk of dependency developing. Also, it is much less likely that you can lethally overdose. Prior to these breakthroughs, these were two of the main issues that kept people from taking synthetic sleeping aids.

• Multiple varieties exist - As different people have different needs, different pill types exist. Certain pills help you sleep the whole night, some initiate the process of falling asleep, and some perform both tasks. Multiple options mean you are more likely to find something that works well for your body.

• Daytime drowsiness has been reduced in newer sleeping pills. A common complaint of sleeping pills has been somewhat remedied.

The Bad News

• Common risks - Though current pills have a reduced chance of serious side effects, this is not to say that they have been completely eliminated. Your sleep aid could clash with other medications and alcohol, possibly causing dizziness and vision impairment.

• Sleeping at dangerous times - Due to the strength of some pills, people have been known to fall asleep while operating machinery or driving. This almost never ends well.

• Deep sleep - Persons taking sleeping pills commonly fall into abnormally deep sleep. This could hinder the ability to quickly awake in case of an emergency.

• Long-term Ineffectiveness - Sleeping pills almost never work for a long period of time. While they treat problems related with insomnia, they do nothing for actually curing the problem. In order to see continued results, you may not be able to stop taking the pills.