2008 Woodie Awards
Sleeping Pill Use Skyrockets in America
Kim Lyon
Issue date: 10/28/05 Section: Arts & Entertainment
- Page 1 of 3 next >
The use of prescription sleep aids in America has jumped remarkably since 2000, especially among young people. Sleeping pills have become increasingly more accepted by doctors for young adults and even children who have a hard time sleeping at night. A study carried out by prescription management company Medco Health Solutions shows alarming figures.
More than 70 million Americans suffer from a form of insomnia or sleep apnea, with about 60 percent experiencing chronic sleep disorders. The study also concluded that far more women than men were using sleep aids, with the likelihood increasing alongside age. Dr. Robert Epstein, chief medical officer of Medco, claimed that although the elderly used sleeping drugs most frequently, more and more young adults and children are beginning to use the medications.
Other drugs sometimes used to prevent insomnia are antidepressants (drugs that stimulate the moods of depressed patients and antihistamines, drugs that block allergies.) Drowsiness is a side effect of these drugs.
According to Medco, recently released data showed the use of sleep medication by adults between the ages of 20 and 44 doubled over the four year period. An even steeper increase was observed in the spending on sleep aids for children. Since 2000, the money spent on these drugs more than tripled for treatment of children between the ages of 10 and 19. This is particularly troubling, because the Food and Drug Administration has not approved any sleep medication for children under the age of 18.
Dr. Epstein reports the problem for children lies in their difficulty in falling asleep, unlike adults who have trouble staying asleep. This may correlate to Medco's findings that a great number of children taking sleeping drugs were also being treated for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.
The side effects of many ADHD drugs include insomnia. Even though the use of sleep aids in children has not been formally approved, it is common for doctors to prescribe them anyway.
More than 70 million Americans suffer from a form of insomnia or sleep apnea, with about 60 percent experiencing chronic sleep disorders. The study also concluded that far more women than men were using sleep aids, with the likelihood increasing alongside age. Dr. Robert Epstein, chief medical officer of Medco, claimed that although the elderly used sleeping drugs most frequently, more and more young adults and children are beginning to use the medications.
Other drugs sometimes used to prevent insomnia are antidepressants (drugs that stimulate the moods of depressed patients and antihistamines, drugs that block allergies.) Drowsiness is a side effect of these drugs.
According to Medco, recently released data showed the use of sleep medication by adults between the ages of 20 and 44 doubled over the four year period. An even steeper increase was observed in the spending on sleep aids for children. Since 2000, the money spent on these drugs more than tripled for treatment of children between the ages of 10 and 19. This is particularly troubling, because the Food and Drug Administration has not approved any sleep medication for children under the age of 18.
Dr. Epstein reports the problem for children lies in their difficulty in falling asleep, unlike adults who have trouble staying asleep. This may correlate to Medco's findings that a great number of children taking sleeping drugs were also being treated for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.
The side effects of many ADHD drugs include insomnia. Even though the use of sleep aids in children has not been formally approved, it is common for doctors to prescribe them anyway.