According to a CDC study, at least 8.6 million Americans take sleeping pills to get some shut-eye. The study also revealed that more women are victims of insomnia than men. The National Sleep Foundation says that at least one in every four Americans needs a sleeping aid. The problem with sleep medication is dependency which may soon turn into an addiction, tell our team of medical professionals at Pacific Bay Recovery addiction treatment center at San Diego. Here are 7 top reasons why those innocuous looking pills are more dangerous than you thought.
Are they really effective as aids to sleep?
Often it has been seen that the sleeping pill loses effectiveness pretty fast. Those who take pills still find themselves tossing and turning in bed.Many over-the-counter sleep inducing pills may contain anti histamines which can actually prolong drowsiness and affect your functioning the next day as well.
Need or Addiction?
When the pill loses to bring the desired outcome and tolerance increases, people tend to increase the dosage. They start taking more than the intended or prescribed quantity, tottering on the verge of addiction. Doctors at Pacific Bay’s San Diego addiction treatment center say that psychological dependence is common. You may have been told that it takes prolonged use to make one addicted to sleep medication. That is a myth. People can become tolerant within weeks. The 0.5mg dose is not small. It probably means that the drug in your pill is so potent that even a small dose is enough. Getting addicted to that little pill is easy. That is why these pills are prescribed only for short durations.
Health Hazard
Common side effects include appetite changes, headache, weakness and nausea. Depression and anxiety may occur with continuous use. The British Medical Journal has reported that sleeping pill consumption may be linked to decreased life spans. The person becomes prone to injuries as the pills dull your senses.
Alcohol and sleeping pills – Deadly combination
The combination increases sedation which can impair judgment and cognitive ability. Driving while drowsy can be fatal, say experts at drug rehab center by Pacific Bay in San Diego.
Erratic Behavior
Prescription sleep medication has been known to cause sleepwalking and partial loss of memory, not to mention anxiety and irritability.
Other drugs
If you are taking some other medication, taking sleeping pills can interfere with the effects to that drug. There is no telling what the interaction of the two may do to your body. Always consult your doctor before you grab that harmless looking bottle of pills from the pharmacy.
Sleeping pills do not treat insomnia
Sleep medication is not an antidote to insomnia. It only helps you sleep when you are not able to, say in the case of chronic pain. Taking them will not make your body learn to sleep on its own. If anything, it is hindering the process. If you are unable to sleep due to anxiety or depression, then the real treatment is treating those problems and not sleep-medication.
