Those of us, who pop sleeping pills to allay anything from insomnia to anxiety, beware as these drugs increase risk of dying very significantly, a recent study has warned. The study examined over fourteen thousand people over a 13 year period from 1994 to 2007.
The way in which this likelihood of dying increases is that taking these drugs make one less alert, hampers coordination and delays response time, thereby increasing the chances of having accidents and falls.
Further, these anti anxiety and insomnia medication, can cause alterations in the patter of breathing while asleep and can interfere with the breathing system increasing the risk of death. Since these drugs impact the central nervous system, they may also up the chances of a person feeling suicidal and result in an increased suicide risk.
Genevieve Belleville, from Laval University’s School of Psychology in Canada study leader warns that these medications are far from harmless, and shouldn’t be used freely.
According to her, cognitive behavioral therapies can yield good results to combat anxiety and insomnia and should be tried out, which combined with a short term pharmacological approach can be a good strategy. This can help to promote sleep and reduce anxiety effectively.
