A sedative is a type of medicine that calms the body and mind, making a person feel drowsy, relaxed, or sleepy. Doctors prescribe sedatives when patients need help calming down before surgery, when they're extremely anxious, or when they're having trouble sleeping due to stress or medical conditions.

Think of how a stormy lake becomes calm and smooth when the wind dies down. That's similar to what a sedative does to your body's systems.

Sedatives work by slowing down brain activity, which is why they make people tired and less alert. This can be helpful in medical situations, but it also means sedatives must be used very carefully and only as prescribed by a doctor. Taking too much of a sedative, or taking one when you don't need it, can be dangerous.

You might also hear the word used more broadly to describe anything calming. Someone might joke that a boring lecture had a sedative effect on the class, meaning it made everyone sleepy. A warm bath before bed could be called sedating because it helps you relax and prepare for sleep.