A fact about sleep first – Quality of sleep is that amount of sleep which allows us to operate at optimum levels of energy through the waking hours.
Sleeping pills do not help us get quality sleep. So feeling energized and fresh after waking up from the sleeping pill slumber is certainly not the answer.
Frequent use of sleeping pills or a habit of taking sleeping pills affects as badly or may be in a worse manner than smoking may. People get addicted to them and it becomes very difficult to quit the use of sleeping pills.
People start with dosing during the night but slowly start taking in the daytime also because of the feel good effect it has. Taking sleeping pills deteriorates their daytime functioning.
People who take sleeping pills have significantly higher mortality rates than people who don’t take sleeping pills. It may surprise the reader but it’s a fact that sleeping pills do little or nothing to improve chronic insomnia and merely cause long-term chemical dependency.
Sleeping pills deteriorate brain cell activity during the day, which directly affects short-term memory plus a hangover effect.
Sleeping pills are also responsible for accentuating the GABA neurotransmitter, which keeps the nerve cells in the lung tissue from firing.
This is the reason is why an overdose of sleeping pills can cause asphyxiation. GABA actuation can also result in impaired physical ability.
Sleep Apnea patients should avoid sleeping pills altogether. Someone with sleep apnea could suffer brain or ocular damage from the lack of oxygen or sometimes in extreme circumstances even death.
Anyone aged above 40 should be cautioned against sleeping pills, and people above 65 should never take sleeping pills. Studies have reported that majority of individuals over 40 have at least a mild symptom of sleep apnea.
Sleeping pills create a hypnotic dependency similar to alcohol and lower inhibitions and fear of pain or consequences.
This is the reason why sleeping pills contribute to accidents and why chronic sleeping pill users are less likely to worry or take care of themselves.
Sleeping pills are highly addictive. Its difficult for people to stop taking them once they have got into the habit of using them.
In spite of the fact that sleeping pills do not improve daytime functioning, people prefer taking them because of the feel-good effect they produce.
Overdose of sleeping pills or continuous use of them impairs our consciousness, judgment, memory and intelligence.
Insomniacs feel that sleeping pills make them sleep better, whereas in reality that is not the case.
Actually just the opposite is true. It makes them feel worse. But they do not realize it or cannot differentiate because their brain is not functioning to the optimum.
It is misperception that sleeping pills help us to sleep sounder and better. In studies conducted against placebo, it was reported that patients who were receiving placebo did better than those who consumed sleeping pills.
However people who take sleeping pills believed they were doing better.