We know how crucial sleep is for physical health as well as cognitive abilities. One should sleep at least seven to nine hours. Many people don’t get ample sleep, especially the elderly. With age, they tend to lose sleep. Some often struggle to stay asleep and end up sleeping even less than four hours per night, which can be detrimental to their health.
Insomnia can impact a person’s health, leading to stroke, dementia, diabetes, heart disease and mental health issues. Sometimes, it may cause a decline in energy levels and lead to accidents. The worst part is the cognitive decline due to less sleep, which happens gradually and is hard to detect at first.
To combat this, many people use sleeping aids so they can at least get some shut-eye during the night. This can be a short-term solution till they can cultivate a better sleeping habit. Recently, it has been found that the elderly who have insomnia also have a high risk of developing disabilities. One major reason for this is the use of medication to treat insomnia. This new study reveals that those who depend on medication to induce sleep tend to experience disability more often.
There are serious health risks associated with insomnia. It can increase your risk for mental health problems as well as overall health concerns.
Having insomnia can shorten your life expectancy too. pic.twitter.com/iJoOASKdTa
— Lisa Sebastian (@Goan_Senorita) November 14, 2021
The biobehavioral health professor conducting the study stated that older people who use sleep medication may move towards greater disability, as proven in a five-year-long study. They conducted a study with 6,700 people who are above 65 years of age. There was a questionnaire to learn about toilet habits, dressing, eating habits, and showering habits to learn about daily activities.
The researchers at the Taipei Medical University in Taiwan and Penn State also asked questions about their energy levels, ability to move around places, and even getting out of bed. This information helped in learning if the seniors were independent or needed assistance with these basic tasks. The users could choose from every night use, some nights, most nights, or once a week frequency for the medication and the symptoms. Those who had a healthy sleep schedule could never.
Sleep problems got you down as your age keeps creeping up? Here’s why: https://t.co/U69LwRCbSy
— Johns Hopkins Medicine (@HopkinsMedicine) April 19, 2025
So, to determine the disability risk with this information, the frequency of the use of medication was an important factor. With an increase of one level, the risk increases by 20%, resulting in the highest if a person is a moderate to heavy user.
We can conclude that both the condition of insomnia as well as its possible solution can lead to disability risk and health deterioration. These pills are notorious for causing drowsiness and impairing coordination, which is hard to handle even without disabilities.
The study shows that on average, a person who uses the medication every night in a span of five years is more likely to develop a disability that can impact health. Besides, the researchers explain that the prediction of disability risk is still relevant to overall health. So, they cannot predict a specific value, but they can advise people to be cautious.
They have suggested that if you use medication to sleep at night, confirm with your doctor if it has any unwanted side effects. Be sure to get the right dosage and type to treat your symptoms. Moreover, one may try cognitive behavioral therapy first instead of going for medication. Also, find ways to improve heart health and energy levels.
