“What could be the side effects of sleeping pills in the long run?”

Unisom and over-the-counter sleeping aids work by using antihistamines with anticholinergic properties. They cause dryness of moist membranes. They can also cause constipation. Probably more importantly depending on age, prolonged use can be associated with mental impairment or confusion and there is concern in older patients that some of this might prove irreversible. There is not much data to support using sleeping pills beyond short-term , more than a month or 2. Common causes of insomnia include depression anxiety and stress and undesirable behaviors such as drinking alcohol at bedtime or caffeine at bedtime. It would be worth discussing this in person with a physician who knows you/her.