Don't Be A Pill-Popper
Hopping on our soapboxes a bit here, but it's all too common in our modern society to rely on pharmaceuticals to "fix" our problems. And while sleeping pills may address the symptoms of your insomnia, they won't help remedy its cause, leaving you reliant on the Ambien to get a proper night's rest. "Chronic use of prescribed medication or over-the-counter medication will impair your ability to fall asleep naturally and cause you to develop a dependency on these medications," says Dr. Arand.

If you are relying on a substance, long-term, to help you fall asleep, she suggests making an appointment with a sleep expert to get to the root of your problem. "There are therapies that are just as effective as medication, but last longer, have zero side effects, and don’t cost you anything." The danger of continuing with this vicious cycle of pills, according to Dr. Arand, is that you end up developing poor sleep habits on top of the initial issue, and grabbing for the medication makes it even more difficult to treat the underlying problem.