However, we recommend that both the older and newer sleeping pills be taken more judiciously and less often than appears to be the current pattern of use by millions of people in the U.S. There are two main reasons for that advice:

• People with only mild insomnia problems may be relying too heavily on pills and not trying to address their sleep problems with non-drug measures.
• All insomnia medicines have side effects, can cause dependency, and even worsen your sleeping problems when abused, misused, or are taken too often. The possible side effects include daytime sleepiness, cognitive impairment, dizziness, unsteadiness, and rebound insomnia. Sleep-walking, sleep-driving, memory lapses, and hallucinations have also been reported.

People with persistent, chronic insomnia - three or more nights a week for months on end - do need treatment. We advise behavioral therapy that improves sleep habits, possibly combined with cautious use of sleeping pills.

For the average person seeking short-term help - for a few nights - we suggest trying an over-the-counter sleep aid first. If that's doesn't work, our comparison of the newer drugs led us to choose zolpidem as a Best Buy. This is the less expensive generic version of the drug Ambien. Fifteen pills cost $10 to $35, depending on dose and where you buy it.