Your Sleep Aids May Be Key to Treating More Than Insomnia, Study Finds

The level of the stimulating hormone known as orexin in the human body is influenced by alcohol and drug useResearch out of Rutgers suggests that anti-orexin sleep aids may be effective in treating addiction

A new Rutgers study suggests that sleep aids may do more than mitigate insomnia: They might also help reduce cravings for those struggling with alcohol and drug addiction. Why? It comes down to a hormone called orexin that stimulates drug and alcohol cravings, more than 10 years of research at the Rutgers Brain Health Institute and peer institutions suggest. Addicts experience constant overproduction of orexin, which motivates continuous use, researchers say.

Humans naturally produce orexin as a motivation regulator. Levels of it may spike when giving a presentation or taking an exam and then dull when going to sleep. The body’s orexin levels shift dynamically, and there is normally a reserve of excess hormone-producing neurons . So what if orexin levels could be more controlled?

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