What type of meds can an elderly person safely take to get a good night’s sleep?

Many ads state that sleeping pills help people get a restful night’s sleep. But studies indicate that this is not entirely true in real life. On average, people taking these drugs sleep only a little longer and better than those who don’t. All sedative-hypnotic drugs have specific risks for older adults. Elders are likely to be more sensitive to the drugs’ outcomes than younger adults, and the drugs may stay in their bodies longer.
You must only consider these drugs if the sleep issues affect your quality of life and nothing else has worked. But your health care provider should oversee you and make sure that the drug is helping and not causing harmful side effects. If it is considered essential, it should be used at the lowest possible amount and for a limited time.