Sleeping pills no cure for insomnia - Expert

Friday 10th August 2012

An Australian sleep expert has cast doubt on the efficiency of sleeping pills as a sustainable treatment for insomnia and other sleep disorders, claiming that while they may offer a short-term fix they would likely create a dependency over time. Professor Leon Lack, from Flinders University School of Psychology, likened the use of sleeping pills to ‘buying sleep on a credit card’ that would need to be paid back later – ‘sometimes with interest’.

The benefits of a regular sleep routine and awareness of the role that light plays in determining the timings of our sleep cycle were highlighted by the Professor as ways to remove the need for sleeping pills.

Professor Lack will speak on the subject at the upcoming Flinders “Sleep Well, Live Better – the Steps to Good Sleep” event later this month.

Tags: sleep sleeping pills insomnia

Category: Sleep Research

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