About 20 percent of U.S. adults may occasionally or regularly take medication to fall asleep or stay asleep, according to data recently released in January.
According to a data brief from the National Center for Health Statistics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that approximately 8.4 percent of U.S. adults take medication daily or most of the time to stay asleep or stay asleep.
Another 10 percent of adults may also take sleeping pills “some days” to fall asleep or stay asleep.
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“Recent data showing that as many as 20 percent of Americans use medications to help them sleep is alarming,” said pulmonologist and sleep specialist Baljinder S. Sidhu, MD, co-director of the Pacific Coast Critical Care Group in Southern California. everyone.
This is concerning, he added, “particularly given the mounting evidence of harm or mortality associated with such drugs, even when used in the short term.”
In a new study, researchers analyzed data from the 2020 National Health Interview Survey of Adults 18 and Older to determine the percentages of men and women who used medication for sleep.
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The findings come from a health survey that asked participants if they had taken sleeping pills in the past 30 days.
“In 2020, 6.3 percent of adults took sleeping pills daily in the past 30 days, 2.1 percent took them most of the time, 10.0 percent took them occasionally, and 81.6 percent never took them,” the report said.
Across all age groups, women were more likely than men to use sleeping pills.
“Among all adults, sleep medication use increases with age, decreases with income, and is less frequent among non-Hispanic white adults compared with adults of other racial and Hispanic groups higher,” the report states its key findings.
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The researchers analyzed data from the 2020 National Health Interview Survey of adults 18 and older to find the percentages of men and women who used medication for sleep.
Adults taking sleep medication as they age, study finds.
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Sleep medication was defined as “any medication taken to help fall asleep or stay asleep, most of the time or daily within the past 30 days, depending on selected sociodemographic characteristics,” the report said.
More details on the findings
The study found that adults taking sleep medications increased with age — “from 5.6 percent of those aged 18-44 to 10.1 percent of those aged 45-64, and 11.9 percent of those 65 and older,” the report said.
Across all age groups, women were more likely than men to use sleeping pills.
White men were the most likely to use sleeping pills compared to Asian men – who were the least likely.
Men with the highest household income were the least likely to use sleeping pills.
Men with the highest household income were the least likely to use sleeping pills compared to those in the middle and lower income groups.
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“Hispanic men were more likely than non-Hispanic Asian men to use sleeping pills, while among women, these groups were no different,” the report states.
Why do people suffer from insomnia?
The CDC states on its website that there are three common problems with sleep.
Common problems are: 1) difficulty falling asleep; 2) difficulty falling asleep; 3) waking up too early.
Getting enough sleep is an important factor in reducing your risk of heart disease.
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According to the CDC, the human body has an internal clock that resets daily based on the sun’s light-dark cycle.
This clock has a 24-hour circadian rhythm that helps us fall asleep and wake up.
The Sleep Foundation says sleep medications should not be the first line of treatment for insomnia.
According to the CDC website, a hormone called melatonin peaks in our bodies around 2:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. and then stops being secreted later in the morning.
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“Normally, the body increases [the] Melatonin levels typically occur one to two hours before bedtime at night,” the CDC adds.
Because of “they can be addictive and often cause side effects, the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommend the use of other techniques before turning to pharmaceutical sleep aids,” according to the Sleep Foundation’s website.
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Melatonin can be purchased in supplement form or as a prescription, but the CDC warns that it must be taken at the correct time for the sleep cycle—otherwise, it may shift the internal clock in the wrong direction or be ineffective.
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The Sleep Foundation states that sleep medications should not be the first line of treatment for insomnia.
According to the Sleep Foundation’s website, “Because they can be addictive and they often come with side effects, the American Academy of Physicians and American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommend the use of other techniques before turning to pharmaceutical sleep aids.”
Studies estimate that sleeping pills increase the risk of death by 1.5 to 5 times.
“Over-the-counter/prescription treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), appropriate light therapy, etc., should be pursued before resorting to sleep medications,” noted Dr. Sidhu of CA.
Use sleeping pills with caution
Sidhu noted that studies estimate that sleeping pills are associated with a 1.5 to 5 times higher risk of death.
Sleep medications “can provide a false sense of what normal sleep should look like.”
“In addition, sleep medications have even been associated with poor daytime function and disruption of normal sleep architecture (our normal sleep patterns),” he said.
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These drugs “can provide a false sense of what normal sleep should be like, further fueling the belief that sleep cannot be restored unless they are in a medically induced coma.”
When it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, “treating the underlying condition can have a more positive impact on sleep,” says one medical professional, rather than resorting to sleep medication first.
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He noted that this may lead individuals to seek stronger medications for “quality” sleep.
“There was one such extreme case where a celebrity was killed by narcotics for insomnia.”
Sidhu recommends starting with a full evaluation for insomnia.
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This includes ruling out depression, hormonal imbalances — such as thyroid disease or menopause — and medication side effects.
It also means looking at underlying medical issues, including chronic conditions that may play a role in sleep problems.
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“Treating the underlying disease can have a more positive impact on sleep,” he said.
