A groundbreaking study reveals that regular users of sleeping pills face a shocking 55% higher risk of death, potentially cutting their lives short by up to six years.
At a Glance
- A comprehensive study involving nearly 500,000 adults found that people who sleep 6-8 hours but use sleeping pills have a 55% higher mortality risk compared to non-users
- Men using sleeping pills lived approximately 5.3 years less, while women experienced an even greater reduction of 5.7 years
- Despite the widespread use of sleep aids, the study identifies multiple risk mechanisms including increased rates of cancer, infection, depression, accidents, and cognitive decline
- Experts recommend addressing the root causes of insomnia and improving sleep hygiene rather than relying on long-term medication use
- Medical professionals caution that sleeping pills should only be stopped under medical supervision, as abrupt cessation can worsen sleep problems
Alarming Findings on Sleeping Pill Mortality Risk
A major study published in the journal ‘Sleep Health’ has uncovered disturbing evidence about the potential dangers of sleeping pills. Researchers from Taiwan’s En Chu Kong Hospital, led by Dr. Yu Sun, conducted a nationwide study involving 484,916 adults over nearly two decades. The results challenge the safety profile of these commonly prescribed medications. The research team examined multiple factors including sleep quality, duration, and medication use, revealing that individuals who typically sleep for 6 to 8 hours but also use sleeping aids face a startling 55% higher mortality risk compared to those who don’t rely on these medications. This substantial increase in risk raises serious questions about the widespread use of these drugs for managing sleep disorders.
The study’s comprehensive approach allowed researchers to identify different risk patterns based on sleep duration. While medium sleepers (6-8 hours per night) generally had the lowest mortality risk among all groups, this advantage disappeared when sleeping pills entered the equation. Even more concerning, extremely short or long sleepers who did not use sleeping pills already had a 30% higher risk of all-cause mortality compared to medium sleepers, but this risk increased dramatically when combined with sleeping pill use. These findings remained consistent even after adjusting for various factors including age, gender, socioeconomic status, and pre-existing health conditions.
“Our results are staggering to say the least. Many people rely on sleeping pills to help them sleep, so it’s a shock to find that taking them may more than double your mortality risk” – Dr. Yu Sun, MD, Ph.D
Gender Differences and Life Expectancy Impact
The research uncovered concerning gender-specific impacts of sleeping pill use on life expectancy. Men who regularly used sleeping pills lived approximately 5.3 years less than their counterparts who didn’t use sleep medications. The impact was even more pronounced in women, who experienced a reduction in life expectancy of about 5.7 years. This gender difference suggests that women may be slightly more vulnerable to the negative effects of these medications, though the reduction in lifespan is substantial for both sexes. These findings were consistent across different age groups and remained significant even after accounting for various lifestyle factors and pre-existing health conditions.
During the study’s 10-year follow-up period, approximately 3.5% of participants died, with cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory conditions emerging as the leading causes of death. Notably, the research team observed a higher cancer death rate among sleeping pill users compared to non-users with similar sleep patterns. The combined effect of extreme sleep durations (either very short or very long) with sleeping pill use resulted in substantial reductions in life expectancy, with the impact being particularly pronounced in men who both slept for unusual durations and used sleep medications regularly. These compounding factors create a concerning risk profile that deserves serious attention from healthcare providers.
“The mechanisms underling the association between sleeping pill use and causes of death are likely to be multifactorial, including potentially lethal morbidities such as cancer, infection, depression, suicide, falling, fracture, automobile accidents, suppressed respiration, and dementia” – Yu Sun, MD, PhD
Multiple Risk Mechanisms Identified
The researchers identified numerous potential mechanisms connecting sleeping pill use to increased mortality risk. These include heightened vulnerability to cancer, infections, depression, suicide, falls, fractures, automobile accidents, respiratory suppression, and dementia. The study suggests that sleeping pills may affect multiple bodily systems simultaneously, creating a complex web of risk factors that collectively contribute to the observed increase in mortality. This multifactorial approach to understanding the risks provides important insights into why these medications might be more dangerous than previously recognized.
Long-term use of sleeping pills appears to be particularly problematic, with links to serious health conditions like heart disease, various cancers, and cognitive decline. The study also found that certain sleep characteristics had independent associations with mortality risk. For instance, frequent dreaming was associated with lower mortality risk, while difficulty falling asleep increased mortality risk regardless of medication use. These nuanced findings suggest that the relationship between sleep, medication use, and mortality is complex and involves multiple interacting factors that can either mitigate or exacerbate risk depending on the specific combination present in each individual.
“These effects can indirectly contribute to increased mortality risk by affecting daily functioning and increasing the likelihood of accidents, especially in older adults” – Dr. Ruchir Patel, MD, FACP
Prior Research Supports Findings
The Taiwan study isn’t the first to identify concerning associations between sleeping pill use and mortality. A 2012 study published in BMJ Open similarly linked prescription sleeping pills with a higher risk of death in users compared to non-users. That research suggested that even occasional users of sleeping pills face increased mortality risks, raising questions about whether there is any truly “safe” level of use for these medications. The consistency of findings across multiple independent studies conducted in different populations and using different methodologies strengthens the case for a genuine causal relationship between sleeping pill use and increased mortality risk.
Additional research has found that users of benzodiazepines, a common class of sleeping medications, have a 66% greater chance of hospitalization or death compared to non-users. This risk increases further when these medications are combined with other drugs, creating potentially dangerous interactions. The accumulating evidence from multiple studies conducted over more than a decade paints a consistent picture of elevated risk associated with these medications, suggesting that the findings from the Taiwan study are not anomalous but rather part of a broader pattern that deserves serious attention from the medical community, regulatory agencies, and patients alike.
Benzodiazepines bind to TSPO (translocator protein) which is a mitochondrial receptor.
When you take a benzo in any circumstance other than sparingly, you are causing mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation.https://t.co/voODxJAlOK
Also: https://t.co/XM6qahgE4B https://t.co/8UqdpPmG8C
— Monica (@InsularEntropy) March 29, 2025
Expert Cautions and Alternative Perspectives
Not all experts are convinced that the observed association between sleeping pill use and mortality represents a straightforward cause-and-effect relationship. Dr. Nancy Collop, a past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, has cautioned against drawing overly simplistic conclusions from such studies. She notes that people who require sleeping pills often have underlying health conditions that may independently contribute to higher mortality rates. “People who go on sleeping pills are a sicker population. I know (this study) tried to control for that, but these people simply are not as healthy,” Dr. Collop explained. While the Taiwan researchers did attempt to account for pre-existing conditions and other confounding factors, the possibility of residual confounding cannot be entirely eliminated.
Despite these cautions about interpretation, most experts agree that sleeping pills should be used judiciously and for limited periods. The study’s findings underscore the importance of addressing the root causes of sleep disorders rather than merely treating the symptoms with medication. This approach aligns with evolving best practices in sleep medicine, which increasingly emphasize cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, improved sleep hygiene, and lifestyle modifications as first-line treatments, with medications reserved for specific circumstances and typically recommended only for short-term use rather than as a long-term solution to chronic sleep problems.
“You cannot assume, just because you find this kind of association, that hypnotics are killing people.” – Dr. Collop
The Growing Problem of Insomnia
The study’s findings come at a time when insomnia and sleep disorders are increasingly prevalent worldwide. Despite the proliferation of sleep aids like tracking devices, white noise machines, and specialized bedding, rates of insomnia continue to rise, driving growth in the sleep medication industry. This paradox suggests that technological solutions and pharmaceutical interventions may not be addressing the fundamental causes of sleep disturbances in modern society. Factors such as increased screen time, irregular work schedules, heightened stress levels, and lifestyle choices may all contribute to the growing insomnia epidemic.
While sleeping pills do provide temporary relief for those suffering from insomnia, they come with well-known side effects even beyond the mortality risks identified in this study. Common problems include daytime drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, memory issues, and the potential for dependence with long-term use. Some users also report behavioral changes, coordination problems, and increased risk of falls, particularly in older adults. These immediate quality-of-life impacts, combined with the potential long-term risks to life expectancy, create a compelling case for developing better approaches to managing sleep disorders that don’t rely primarily on medication.
Recommendations for Current Sleeping Pill Users
For individuals currently using sleeping pills, experts emphasize that abruptly stopping medication can be dangerous and potentially worsen sleep problems. “Stopping by yourself is risky. Certain sleep pills have to be tapered off, or your sleep will become worse,” warns Dr. Emma Lin. The appropriate approach is to consult with a healthcare provider about developing a personalized plan for gradually reducing medication use while simultaneously implementing alternative strategies for improving sleep. This might include cognitive behavioral therapy specifically designed for insomnia (CBT-I), which has been shown to be effective for many people suffering from chronic sleep problems.
Improving sleep hygiene is another important component of any plan to reduce reliance on sleeping pills. This includes maintaining consistent sleep and wake times, creating a comfortable sleep environment, limiting caffeine and alcohol consumption, reducing screen time before bed, and engaging in regular physical activity (though not too close to bedtime). Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and meditation can also help prepare the body and mind for sleep. By addressing the root causes of sleep difficulties and developing healthier sleep habits, many individuals can improve their sleep quality naturally and potentially reduce or eliminate their need for sleeping medications.
Implications for Healthcare Providers and Public Health
The study’s authors emphasize the need for increased awareness among both healthcare providers and the general public about the potential risks associated with long-term sleeping pill use. Given the substantial mortality risk and reduced life expectancy identified in the research, clinicians may need to reassess their prescribing practices, particularly for patients who might use these medications over extended periods. The findings suggest that the risk-benefit calculation for sleeping pill prescriptions should carefully weigh the short-term benefits against the potential long-term harms, with consideration given to each patient’s specific circumstances, sleep patterns, and overall health status.
From a public health perspective, the study highlights the importance of developing and promoting safer alternatives for managing sleep disorders. Increased access to evidence-based non-pharmacological interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia could help reduce reliance on potentially risky medications. Additionally, public education campaigns about healthy sleep habits and the potential risks of sleeping pills could empower individuals to make more informed decisions about their sleep management strategies. As our understanding of the complex relationship between sleep, medication use, and mortality continues to evolve, integrating this knowledge into clinical practice and public health initiatives will be essential for protecting and improving population health.
