Millions of older Americans take prescription sleep medications to deal with insomnia. These drugs include popular ones like Ambien and other sedatives called benzodiazepines.
Although they may help people fall asleep in the short term, a new study shows that using them can come with serious health risks.
The study, led by researchers at the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, found that reducing the use of these medications among older adults could improve health and save money. The findings were published in The Lancet Regional Health—Americas.
The researchers used a special computer model to study the long-term effects of sleep medications. They looked at what would happen if no older adults used these drugs and compared it to what happens now. The results were eye-opening.
If older adults avoided sleep medications, the number of falls would drop by 8.5%, and cases of cognitive decline—such as memory problems—would drop by 2.1%. People would live longer too, gaining an average of 1.3 extra months of life. That adds up to 1.7 million extra years of life for the U.S. population, with most of those years spent in good health.
Lead researcher Hanke Heun-Johnson said these results show that cutting back on sleep medications could help older adults stay healthier and more independent.
About 15 million people in the U.S. aged 50 and older take prescription sleep medications. Use increases with age, and it’s especially common among women and white adults.
Even though doctors are advised not to prescribe these drugs for long periods, many patients end up taking them regularly. For some people, the main reason they keep taking the drugs is to avoid withdrawal symptoms, not because the medications are still helping.
Insomnia itself is a serious condition. It can lead to depression, heart disease, and memory loss. Many people take sleep aids to feel better, but research suggests that long-term use of these drugs may actually do more harm than good.
The study found that people between the ages of 65 and 74 would benefit the most from avoiding sleep medications. They would have better thinking skills and stronger physical health.
The researchers also found major cost savings. Avoiding sleep medications could save about $6,600 per person over a lifetime. That adds up to around $101 billion saved nationwide, mostly from better quality of life and fewer medical problems.
Experts say the best way to treat insomnia is with a method called cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, or CBT-I. This treatment helps people change habits that interfere with sleep and teaches them healthier sleep routines.
It can be done in person, online, or even through apps like the VA’s CBT-I Coach. Unlike medication, CBT-I has no side effects and works better over the long term.
The researchers suggest that health systems could do more to encourage doctors to recommend CBT-I instead of sleep drugs. For example, electronic health records could remind doctors to try safer options first, or doctors could get reports showing how their prescriptions compare to others.
Co-author Jason Doctor said that insomnia is a serious issue, but regular use of sleep drugs can lead to real harm. Helping doctors choose better, safer treatments can improve the lives of millions of older adults.
In short, this study shows that cutting back on sleep medications and using safer alternatives like CBT-I can help older adults stay healthy, live longer, and enjoy a better quality of life.
If you care about sleep, please read studies about herb that could help you sleep well at night, and these drugs could lower severity of sleep apnea by one third.
For more health information, please see recent studies that coffee boosts your physical activity, cuts sleep, affects heartbeat, and results showing how to deal with “COVID-somnia” and sleep well at night.
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