The dangers of sleeping pills and how to avoid them

Those who had prescriptions for sleep aids such as zolpidem and temazepam were over 4 years old Times that are more likely to die from accidents or health conditions due to use, compared to those who did not use such medicines, Studies show.. Even those who took less than two sleeping pills a month were three times more likely to die than those who did not.

If you are using or are considering using a prescription or over-the-counter sleep aid, what do you need to know to use it safely?heard Dr. Jin Wan |Associate Professor of Lung, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York City.

This conversation has been edited a bit for clarity.

CNN: When someone comes to you with insomnia or other sleep disorders and asks for help to fall asleep, do you give them sleeping pills first and get immediate relief?

Dr. Jin Wan: No, absolutely not. We really try very hard not to do it. When someone has insomnia, we have a really thorough medical history and sleep history. It is very important for a person to share personal information so that the cause of insomnia can be identified. Is it behavioral or is it related to medicine or medical illness?

Ask, “What is your daytime schedule? What do you do in the evening?” Try to find their physical and emotional stressors. Is this person always on the screen at work or at home?

Then we go home about how the person prepares the bed: “Do you have a routine? Do you have regular bedtime?” Often Insomnia is permanent by what we do in response to the inability to sleep. People get very creative in ways that may not help: they scroll on the phone, check emails, answer work messages, sleep with the TV on. Both of these expose you to blue light, which signals the brain to wake up. Occasionally, some people will say I get up and exercise, but that’s definitely not what you want to do!

CNN: When are sleep aids advised?

king: Our front-line approach is to introduce patients to a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy called CBTI, especially for insomnia. Educate patients about healthy sleep behavior, such as regular bedtime and wake-up schedules, keeping screens and blue lights away from the bedroom, and relaxing before bedtime. It’s all about how our brains relate to our sleeping environment and how our behaviors and activities affect it.

If there are people who are clearly suffering from the onset of very acute insomnia and there are identifiable factors or changes in their lives, only for weeks or months or so, and with regular examinations.

And we have set clear expectations for short-term use. Because we simply prescribe a sleep aid and don’t want to leave the person on it for the next 30 years. We want to find the root of the problem in a healthier way by fixing what triggers insomnia.

CNN: Why are long-term use of sleeping pills unhealthy?

king: People react differently and can be affected in different ways, so it depends on the situation. Some of these sleep aids can be addictive, so one feels unable to sleep without them. It can be dangerous when mixed with alcohol or certain painkillers. Some cause daytime sleepiness and interfere with driving and other athletic activities.

Sedative sleep aids are associated with hallucinations and dissociative behavior.People drive cars, cook, fall asleep Then I called, but when I woke up I couldn’t remember anything. After waking up, people are vulnerable to drowsiness and confusion like a hangover.

CNN: Let’s talk about over-the-counter drugs. is there a problem?

king: Any medicine is a double-edged sword: it has its uses, but it always has side effects.

One of the most powerful counseling I always do to patients is to instruct them to really avoid over-the-counter sleep aids. Unexpected side effects can occur, such as becoming hyper instead of drowsiness. It may interact with prescription sedatives and patients may also be using it. And because they think, “Oh, it’s safe because it’s on the market,” there’s always the potential for misuse and abuse.

For example, antihistamines cause sensations like dry mouth, dizziness, and the next day’s hangover. It may also have anticholinergic effects such as urinary retention, blurred vision, constipation, and nausea. Chronic regular use of these drugs has been associated with an increased risk of dementia in some studies.

Finally, the use of over-the-counter sleep aids can make sleep disorders a concern and delay seeking care. “There is no reason to talk to a doctor or talk to a doctor about sleep disorders. You can use it as is. An over-the-counter agent.”