Are sleeping pills the best treatment for sleeplessness? A report from the Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs public-information initiative can help you decide whether you should be taking a pill to help you sleep and, if so, which is the better medication.

The report finds that Americans may be jumping to pills too soon when safer remedies are available. Most sleeping pills have side effects ranging from dependency to rebound insomnia, in which symptoms return – and may even worsen – after the person stops taking the pills. Other possible rare side effects include sleep eating and sleep driving.

If you’re struggling with sleep problems, first consider nondrug therapies, such as relaxation techniques and consistent sleep routines, and address any underlying health conditions. Learning new sleep habits through cognitive behavioral therapy is an excellent option for insomnia.

If that strategy alone won’t do, you might try over-the-counter products. Both diphenhydramine (found in Nytol and Sominex) and doxylamine (Unisom) are antihistamines approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as sleep medicines. Yet their side effects include next-day hangover or grogginess, increased urinary retention and dry mouth, so they should be used only in a pinch. Older adults should avoid these products, as such people are more likely to experience side effects.

If you have trouble sleeping at least three nights a week for a month, you may want to talk with a doctor about prescribing a sleeping pill to be used, as needed, on a short-term basis.

Although far from effect-free, newer drugs such as Ambien (zolpidem), Lunesta (eszopiclone), Rozerem (ramelteon) and Sonata (zaleplon) have been prescribed in the millions.

Ambien is best for those who may need a sleep drug for a short time, primarily because it is expected to be less expensive when it goes generic later this year.

The full report can be downloaded for free at www.ConsumerReports.org/health.