What you need to know about sleeping pills!

About a third of adults around the world say they sometimes have difficulty sleeping, and if you're one of them, you may have tried sleep medications as a temporary solution.

There is a growing category of prescription pills approved specifically for sleep. “We are truly in the golden age of insomnia medications,” said Dr. David Neubauer, a sleep specialist at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Doctors can suggest different treatments depending on the type of sleep problem you are experiencing

But all sleep medications carry risks, such as daytime grogginess, and some even lead to habituation. That's why experts say it's best to limit your dependence on it.

“The ideal use of these medications is only as needed, so I would say about two or three times a week, limited to a short period of time,” said Dr. Alcibiades Rodriguez, a sleep medicine expert at NYU Langone Health.

When should you use sleeping tablets?

There are situations where using sleeping pills judiciously can be helpful, such as during an episode of insomnia that lasts for two or three weeks due to a specific event. Your doctor may also recommend it as a last resort if you fail to get restful sleep after trying lifestyle changes, such as avoiding the use of electronic devices at night, and cognitive behavioral therapy tactics designed specifically for sleep.

You should always consult your healthcare provider before starting to take sleep medications, so you can make a plan for how long you will take the pills.

How bad is it to take sleeping pills every night?

Long-term use can lead to risks of memory problems and constipation, all of which may be more noticeable in older people.

It should also not be mixed with certain medications and substances, including alcohol, opioids, and antidepressants, as this may lead to more stress on the central nervous system and slowed breathing, which may be dangerous.

Dr. Rodriguez said the body can get used to sleeping pills over time, so people often end up taking higher doses to get the same effect.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia can address its causes, focusing on modifying behaviors and thinking patterns that contribute to sleep problems.

It is also necessary to follow good habits before bed, such as sleeping in a dark room and avoiding screens.

Eating meals early can reduce the risk of the world's leading cause of death

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the world, with 18.6 million deaths annually according to the 2019 Global Burden of Disease Study, of which about 7.9 are attributable to diet.

This means that diet plays a major role in the emergence and development of these diseases.

The modern lifestyle has led to specific eating habits such as eating late dinner or skipping breakfast.

In addition to light, the daily cycle of food intake (main meals, snacks, etc.) alternating with periods of fasting synchronizes the circadian rhythms of different organs of the body, thus influencing cardiovascular functions, such as regulating blood pressure.

In the study published in the journal Nature Communications, scientists used data from 103,389 participants in the NutriNet-Santé group, 79% of whom were women, with an average age of 42 years, to study the association between eating patterns and cardiovascular disease.

To reduce the risk of potential bias, the researchers took into account a large number of confounding factors, especially socio-demographic factors (age, gender, family situation, etc.), diet quality, lifestyle, and sleep cycle.

The results showed that eating the first meal later in the day (for example, when skipping breakfast) is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, with a 6% increase in risk for each hour of delay. For example, a person who eats for the first time at 9 a.m. is 6% more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than a person who eats at 8 a.m.

When it comes to the last meal of the day, eating late (after 9 p.m.) is associated with a 28% increased risk of cerebrovascular disease such as stroke compared to eating before 8 p.m., especially in women.

Finally, a longer duration of overnight fasting, i.e. the time between the last meal of the day and the first meal of the next day, is associated with a lower risk of cerebrovascular disease, supporting the idea of ​​eating first and last meals earlier in the day.

These findings, which should be replicated in other populations and through additional scientific studies with different designs, highlight the potential role of meal timing in preventing cardiovascular disease.

Researchers point out that adopting the habit of eating the first and last meals earlier, along with a longer period of fasting during the night, can help prevent the risk of cardiovascular disease.