Are sleep meds making your insomnia worse?
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 12% of American adults (almost 40 million folks) have chronic insomnia. And around 28 million use sleep medications every or almost every day. The result of those two habits is far from restful!
Both insomnia and taking sleep meds significantly increase the risk for disabilities such as trouble eating, dressing, toileting, moving around and navigating indoors, according to a five-year study of around 6,700 folks ages 65 and older that was published in Sleep.
The research also shows that the more you experience insomnia and the more often you take sleep meds, the worse your disabilities become. On top of that, many sleep meds not only don't help relieve insomnia, but they often make insomnia symptoms, like daytime fatigue, depression, brain fog, and slowed response time, worse.
So, what can you do to overcome insomnia without relying on most sleep meds? That takes a combination of stress management (yoga, meditation, therapy); increased physical activity (10,000 steps/step equivalents daily); a regular bedtime, in a dark, digital-free, cool, quiet room; improved nutrition (no red or red processed meats, added sugars or highly processed foods); and smart timing of meals (don't eat within three hours of bedtime). If that doesn't help, get checked for sleep apnea, an irregular heartbeat, kidney problems (you have to get up to pee too often) or gastrointestinal problems (up to 44% of folks with IBS contend with sleep disorders). For more help upgrading your sleep, sign up for the free newsletter at LongevityPlaybook.com.
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.longevityplaybook.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at questions@longevityplaybook.com.
(c)2023 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2025 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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