Buy sleeping pills that help you sleep affect parts of your brain that control whether you are awake or asleep. The "sleep pathways" get busier when you take most sleeping pills. The "wake pathways" are less active when one of the newer medicines is taken.

Sleeping pills usually start to work 20 to 30 minutes after being taken, so it's best to take them right before you eat. After taking the sleeping pill, you should go to bed right away because you might feel shaky once the pill starts to work.