As we age, physical changes can affect the way our body handles medications and how medicines work, which can lead to complications. Even if your medications have worked well for you over the years, they might need to be adjusted or changed later in life. Here are some important safety tips.

Most medications won't affect your ability to drive safely. But some do. The FDA advises to make sure you know if your prescription or over-the-counter medication can cause side-effects that may make it unsafe to drive.

If you're lying awake night after night, unable to sleep, you may want to talk to your health care professional about it. They may prescribe insomnia medicines approved by the FDA. Sometimes known as “Z-drugs,” they might help you get a good night's sleep. But as with any medicine, there are risks.

When a child's sniffles and sneezes won't go away for weeks, the cause might be allergies. The FDA regulates prescription and OTC medicines that offer allergy relief, plus allergen extracts to diagnose and treat allergies. Read and follow the directions when giving any medicine to children.

The best way to dispose of your expired, unwanted, or unused medicines is through a drug take back program. Or you can do it at home. Check the FDA flush list.