Do Sleeping Pills Really Make People Sleep Well?

Some expect that sleeping pills are merely sleep-inducing drugs and will have no significant side effects, which is a misleading idea. Since practically all sleeping pills developed to date are tolerant, prolonged usage will reduce their effectiveness. Additionally, the use of sleeping pills can lead to dependence, which makes insomnia worse and more persistent. As a sleep specialist, one of the difficulties is helping patients who have been taking sleeping pills for years to stop taking them. It takes a lot of effort to persuade patients to stop using sleeping pills, and successfully quitting them is not easy. Sometimes sleep specialists have no choice but to confront patients about giving up sleeping pills. However, patients who are already reliant on sleeping pills should not hesitate to go through this challenging procedure to treat insomnia because the problem cannot be resolved unless they quit taking the pills. Fortunately, in most cases, persistent persuasion eventually reduces and finally eliminates the use of sleeping pills. Although the process is never easy, stopping the use of sleeping pills is not that difficult if the patient’s sleep disorder is treated (e.g., sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, etc.) and the innate circadian rhythm is restored. What is challenging is the process of kicking the habit of using sleeping pills, starting activities early in the morning for exposure to sufficient light, and putting them into practice. This issue of Chronobiology in Medicine published a paper on the link between the use of benzodiazepines and dementia [1]. Considering that mental illness is common and many are prescribed benzodiazepines, it is important for clinicians to study and be alert to the advantages or pitfalls of benzodiazepines. DeDo Sleeping Pills Really Make People Sleep Well?