Are Your Sleeping Pills Safe? ; As Research Shows Some Sleeping Pills Double Your Risk of a Car Crash, Our Experts Help You Make the Right Choice

Summary

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SUFFER from sleep problems? Join the club: around 30 per cent of the adult population has difficulty getting a good night's rest. While many resort to overthe-counter or herbal remedies, an estimated one million end up taking prescription sleeping pills. But how effective are these treatments -- and, more importantly, how safe? Last week, it was reported that one form of sleeping pill, the so-called z-hypnotics, could more than double your risk of a road accident.

These drugs include zolpidem (sold under the brand name Stilnoct) and were supposed to be safer than older medicines, as their effects are meant to wear off after seven to eight hours.

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Are Your Sleeping Pills Safe? ; As Research Shows Some Sleeping Pills Double Your Risk of a Car Crash, Our Experts Help You Make the Right Choice

But researchers have found that people who drive after taking these pills are at a much greater risk of having a car accident.

In the UK, around 500,000 prescriptions for the drugs are issued every year.

Other problems linked with prescription sleeping pills are that their long-term use raises the risk of addiction and withdrawal problems -- and their effectiveness diminishes with time.

The list of potential side effects makes alarming reading.

Even over-the-counte...

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