Sleep Medications Triple the Risk of Early Death

A new study shows that widely used sleep medications¹ triple the risk for mortality. The data comes from the National Population Health Survey in Canada. The study involved 14,117 people aged 18 to 102 years, with data collected every second year from 1994 to 2007. It found that even one dose of anti-anxiety or sedative medication in the previous month was associated with the increased risk of early death.

The risk was greatest in people who also had lifestyle abuse (smoking or drinking) or mental health problems like depression. These individuals had a 322% increased risk of mortality. It is common that people using sleep medication often have such a constellation of issues – meaning that adding sleep medications to an already significantly out-of-balance person is a path leading towards early death rather than the seeming “solution” to a difficult problem.

Even when these other issues are removed from the data the risk of early death from the medications remains a statistically significant 36%. However, in the real world, it is precisely because of many existing health issues that individuals turn to the band-aid of sleep medications. It may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back and no solution at all.

The precise reason for increased mortality is at this time not fully documented. Researchers believe it could be due to reductions in reaction time, alertness, and coordination. These medications also affect the respiratory system as in the death of Heath Ledger. And by inhibiting the central nervous system they contribute to impaired judgment and may increase the risk for suicide.

Author of the study, Dr. Geneviève Belleville, warns “These medications aren’t candy, and taking them is far from harmless.” Solving difficult sleep problems can take some work, but every effort should be made to do so without the use of drugs.