Against insomnia many resort to a few pills, but it seems that it is not the best choice in the long run. There are several related risks.
Work life can be a heavy source of stress and the result is having too many thoughts to sleep at night. The same goes for students close to exams, and often hoping to rest a little more a sleeping pill is used, even light. As long as the use is occasional, you don’t risk too many side effects but if you take them on a regular basis, there is some qualm. Indeed it seems that life expectancy may be affected.
Looking at the data of a study published in the journal Sleep Health, it is not even a negligible percentage. People who take sleeping pills have an average life span shorter than 5 yearsbut the worst thing is that the trend of the use of sleeping pills in recent years is only increasing. Chronic insomnia it is in fact widespread on about 10% of the adult population, both men and women.
The research correlated not only the state of health and the use of sleeping pills, but also the rest time. However, those who get to sleep eight hours without using drugs are much better off than those who have to take them. To be precise, the risk of death of this second category is 55% higher compared to those who fall asleep without problems. A figure that makes us reflect on the need to find alternatives to the use of sleeping pills if you suffer from insomnia.
Side effects of these drugs
The most used medicines to reconcile sleep are barbiturates and benzodiazepines, both also useful as sedatives and anxiolytics. Like any drug they can give rise to side effects, and especially if taken in excessive doses they become dangerous. For example can cause respiratory problems especially to those who already suffer from asthma or lung diseases. In addition, there may be problems such as memory or coordination difficulties upon awakening.
It’s about drugs also trying to take more because you notice a decrease in the effects is the most wrong thing to do. However, there are some natural alternatives you can experiment before asking for a prescription for sleeping pills or if you experience side effects. For example, valerian or lemon balm, widely used by grandmothers in the past.