14% of insufficient sleepers are seeking to self-medicate with sleeping pills, data reveals.
Sleepless in… America: 14% of insomniacs self-medicate with sleeping pills, data reveals.
After a night spent tossing and turning in bed instead of getting the recommended 7 hours of shut-eye, many people are familiar with the zombie-like state that follows the next day – and would do everything in their power to avoid this feeling of exhaustion. In fact, a report found that just between mid-February and mid-March of 2020, there was an overall 14.8% increase in prescription sleep medications in the U.S. Lack of sleep can be caused by things like an overactive mind due to busy everyday life; mental health issues, or general anxiety. While many insufficient sleepers seek the secret to a perfect night’s sleep in the form of a seemingly magic pill, relying on these medications over time could lead to a more long-term dependency…
CountingSheep.net analyzed County Health data across the country to determine where the unhealthiest sleepers in America reside – that is, uncovering how many people attempt to treat their insomnia with medication, rather than trying holistic solutions, such as relaxation and mindfulness techniques. Overall, in the past year, the data revealed that 36% of Americans have not got sufficient sleep each night, which is over 120,452,000 people. These insufficient sleepers have searched for sleep medication online 10,375,200 times over the past year. Broken down, this revealed 864,600 searches over the last month alone.
When this data was compared across states, Vermont ranked in first place for being home to the unhealthiest sleepers, where 30% of people don’t get enough sleep each night; and have searched for sleep medication online 72,120 times over the past year. Comparatively, Ohio ranked in last place with the ‘least unhealthy’ sleepers (by comparison). While 41% of the population here don’t get sufficient sleep, they had only 289,080 searches for sleep medication in the last year.
Ranked: top 5 unhealthiest sleep states in America
- Vermont
- Wyoming
- Alaska
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
Ranked: top 5 ‘least unhealthy’ sleep states in American
- Ohio
- California
- Michigan
- New York
- Pennsylvania
Dangers of sleeping medications:
Of course, many people who struggle to fall asleep at night are tempted by the near-immediate knock-out effects of sleep medication. These effects don’t necessarily require additional efforts like a white noise machine; meditation; or deep breathing techniques before bed – some of which, may seem off-putting for those who are desperate for sleep. However, it’s important to note that sleeping medications also carry known side effects, which could pose a series of health risks. Benzodiazepines and nonbenzodiazepines, for example, can impact daytime behavior, causing grogginess. This may increase the risk of accidents and falls for individuals who use these medications.
More seriously, some nonbenzodiazepines are also linked to dangerous sleep-related behaviors, such as sleep-driving and sleepwalking. In fact, the FDA has mandated label warnings on certain nonbenzodiazepine drugs, following several reports of rare, but severe injuries and deaths as a result of complex sleep behaviors after taking these medications.
‘As a sleepless nation, it’s evident that many of us struggle with finding techniques that help us fall asleep – and stay asleep – at night,’ says a spokesperson from CountingSheep.net. ‘It’s tempting to pick up an over-the-counter medication or prescription while having difficulty sleeping at night, however, it’s extremely important to remember the side effects that can occur – some of which, can have severe impacts on an individual’s everyday functions and behaviors, like driving, or even walking. While things like meditation, deep breathing and other relaxation techniques can feel off-putting, these behaviors can also contribute to an overall healthier sleep routine for those who are struggling.’
