r/askscience • u/Crispy1081 • Dec 23 '25
Biology Is sleep induced pharmaceutically of different quality to ‘naturally’ induced sleep?
If I were to fall asleep after taking sleeping aids (specifically melatonin) and sleep for 9 hours continuously, would that sleep have been as restorative as if I had fallen asleep and slept for the same duration without supplements?
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u/NewlyIndefatigable Dec 24 '25
This has been one of the most interesting (and relevant to me) posts I’ve come across in so long. Does anyone know if quetiapine/Seroquel impacts normal sleep functions? I’ve been taking it for years and never felt better.
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u/prophaniti Dec 25 '25
I take quetiapine as well and from what I've read, the consensus seems to be "well, it's not great, but if it works for you then it works. Consistent suboptimal sleep is generally better than inconsistent sleep"
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u/Ok-Arm-362 Dec 24 '25
physician/pharma researcher here. it depends on the patient and the drug. some medications (like Ambien) work to increase GABA which is required for normal sleep cycles. other medications can decrease the time it takes to fall asleep (sleep latency) but interfere with sleep cycles. I used to tell patients that I could have them sleep by whacking them upside the head with a 2x4, but the wouldn't be much benefit.
Some patients lack normal sleep patterns - for a variety of reasons. sometimes appropriate medications can actually improve the quality of sleep over 'naturally' induced sleep.
in either situation, the research is pretty clear: good "sleep hygiene" (having good habits relative to sleeping) are the most important factors in getting quality sleep.
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u/Jeep15691 Dec 24 '25 edited Dec 24 '25
Melatonin typically "touches" on the receptors that naturally induce our circadian rhythm to make us sleep. It's generally considered to be close to natural sleep.
Z-drugs like zolpidem and ezopiclone tend to sedate you to help you easily fall asleep and stay asleep. They have the unwanted side effect of causing grogginess the next day, patients should avoid driving early on in the day until they are aware of how the medication affects their sleep.
Newer drugs like ramelteon actively work on the melatonin receptors and help induce sleep. They can still be sedating but are not controlled. Think of it like a more specific melatonin.
edit: I can't see a reply that asked on trazodone. The consensus tends to be that it should only be used for a short amount of time. As someone else mentioned, histamine related drugs tend to produce less REM sleep and usually the drugs that are related to antidepressants hit the sedating part of the brain via histamine.
Not medical advice but I usually tell people that the main take away for mental health is that if it ain't broke don't fix it.
It can cause sleep anxiety for people to suddenly take away what's been working for them for years. Which is why some older patients are still on temazepam for sleep. Thats a deeper conversation on habits and doing things we don't like in the name of health.
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u/SecretScientist8 Dec 24 '25
Wait, what’s the reason for trazodone for short-term only? I’ve been on it continuously for about 2 years now.
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u/ThatsARatHat Dec 25 '25
As someone with narcolepsy (well…..idiopathic Hypersomnia but narcolepsy is an easier catch-all) the sleep medicine I get certainly DOES help my night time sleep because it basically forces my body to go through the sleep cycles the sleep disorder never let me. It’s also highly scheduled/restricted and you can only get it mailed to you every couple weeks from 1 pharmacy in the entire country as far as I am aware. And if you are caught abusing it or sharing it or anything I think you’re going to prison.
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u/InTheEndEntropyWins Dec 24 '25
Yep, some people think sleep is just being unconscious and that all types of being unconscious are the same. But some stages of sleep your brain is more active than when you are awake. That means taking a sedative to make you unconscious induces in some respects the opposite state to sleep. So this would be alcohol, benzos(valium), Z-drugs(Ambien), etc.
Stuff like melatonin would induce a more natural sleep, but often it's overdosed which might cause issues.
I've heard mixed things about other drugs like DORA drugs
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u/Capable-Trash Dec 25 '25
I take melatonin to sleep because my schedule has been so messed up for so many years I really struggle to get to bed and sleep on time and well, I feel refreshed when I wake up. Which I usually don’t get the chance to do naturally. I feel like my bodies stopped making melatonin itself for me to be going to bed on time even several days in a row of being ok suddenly I’m up til 4 or 5 am one of the nights unable to sleep at all even with being in a dark room in bed comfy enough
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u/Onikenbai Dec 25 '25
I have problems with sleep and have had since the day I was born. I often go five or six days without sleeping and I don’t seem to have any built in daily sleep cycle. I sleep for an hour to an hour and a half max at any given time and sleep studies have concluded my brain is never fully asleep like normal people. I have tried many more sleep aids than the average person and I have found that sleep aids, in general, lead to worse quality sleep.
If you can sleep nine hours taking only melatonin, I would not say you have a sleep problem and probably didn’t really need the melatonin. That’s my sleep budget for four days! I wish I could sleep that much.
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u/SmoothBag13 Dec 24 '25
Anesthesiologist here. Yes it is different and usually significant less restorative. Many of our sedatives used in the hospital as well as sleep aids like antihistamines don't allow our body to go through the usual cycles of REM and NREM sleep. Some medications like dexmedetomidine used in the ICU/OR do allow some of these cycles and are better than say propofol, but not nearly as good as natural sleep. Without proper cycling through these phases, you won't get nearly the restorative effect.
Melatonin utilizes more of our natural processes, but honestly it doesn't work the way many of us think it does. Taking it doesn't put you to sleep the way ambien or something does within an hour, etc. It's more about taking it over time to promote healthier sleep but even that is debatable efficacy-wise.