Are Sleeping Pills Worth the Extra Sleep They Provide?

There is a lot of conflicting information about sleep and the helpful or harmful nature of using sleeping pills to get it. Sleep is good, there is no doubt about that, but some research indicates that drugs may in fact counter the healthful effects of sleep and cause more harm than good.

As an advocate for the environment, it is generally believed that it is best not to use anymore prescription or over-the-counter drugs necessary to remain sustainably healthy. Why? Because such drugs are currently showing up in more and more reports on water contamination. In addition, the manufacturing and packaging of these drugs is just one more way they can adversely impact our environment.

An Abundance of Sleep is Good

Studies show that people need at least 8 to 9 hours of sleep in order to have a happy and healthy life. Many advocates of sleep also advocate getting that sleep any way that you can, which includes taking sleeping pills if necessary. Then there are conflicting studies which have informed us that less sleep (anywhere from 3.5 to 7 hours) is actually better for you if you want to live the longest life possible. So who should we believe?

One side of the spectrum will tell you that long, deep sleep is imperative to good health, especially heart health. Eight hours of sleep is said to be the key factor for reducing your risk of a number of such unfavorable conditions as cancer, coronary disease, hypertension, diabetes, and depression.

Moderation in Sleep May be Better

The other side of the 8-hour sleep debate has a bit of a different take on the theory of the importance of sleep. The researchers from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine and the American Cancer Society collaborated together on a study looking at the mortality rates of long-duration versus short duration sleepers. Their findings were rather shocking.

The participants with the lowest mortality rate were those who averaged 7 hours to as low as 3.5 hours of sleep each night. Those who slept 7.5 hours or more, were 12 percent more likely to die during the six years the study was conducted. Even more shocking was the evidence that seemed to link increased mortality rates (10 to 15 percent) with those who took sleeping pills on a regular basis.

This study offered no reasons for what could have been the cause of these findings, but psychiatry professor, Daniel Kripke of UCSD, believes that the notion of sleeping pills to allow people to live healthier and more productive lives, is by in large funded by the drug industries. Such industries have great interest in maintaining the consumers' belief in these so called, 8-hour sleep research studies.

"There is really no evidence that the average 8-hour sleeper functions better than the average 6- or 7-hour sleeper," Kripke has told the media. In addition, there were no findings that suggested long sleepers were any healthier, happier, or successful than short sleepers. In fact, Krypke suspects that people who sleep less generally become the most successful and monetarily rewarded in the end.

One Answer to the Question

So are sleeping pills worth any extra sleep they provide? I'd say depending on the situation, most likely not. Most people only need a moderate amount of sleep to function properly, which amounts to somewhere between 5 and 7 hours for most.

Unless your lack of sleep is beginning to effect you emotionally and physically, I would try not to worry about it so much. Before making the decision to get on sleeping pills, I highly recommend sleeping on it first...literally. Here are some tips to aid you in getting a better nights rest, naturally.

Source: Live Science, Sleep Deprivation: The Great American Myth.