About 4% of Americans (5% of women and 3% of men) are prescribed sleeping pills: this is what emerges from the first study on the consumption of psychotropic drugs launched at the national level by the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control ( US CDC).
This national study was conducted from 2005 to 2010. The figures from this study therefore show that women are more inclined to take sleeping pills than men, but it also shows a disparity according to age. 2% of adults aged 20 to 39 admit having taken sleeping pills in the previous month, compared to 6% in the 50-59 age group and 7% in the over 80s. This last figure somewhat worries the American health authorities because we now know that there is a link between the benzodiazepine use and the occurrence of dementia in people over 65 years of age.
Dr. Daniel Kripke, a professor of psychiatry at the University of San Diego in California, says the use of sleeping pills to deal with insomnia is too common and ignores the side effects psychotropic drugs can have on health. . “Studies have shown a link between heavy consumption of sleeping pills and premature death, as well as the onset of cancer. And this concerns drugs from the benzodiazepine family, barbiturates or anti-histamine sedatives,” he explains on the site. LiveScience.
Sleep disorders don’t just affect Americans. They are even almost considered a global health epidemic, as they affect 20% of the population of industrialized countries. However, lack of sleep can be responsible for car accidents, metabolic disorders or heart problems. In addition, people who lack sleep have a higher risk of developing chronic diseases such as high blood pressurethe diabetesthe depressionobesity and cancer.
