Dementia Risk and Your Sleeping Pills: The Alarming Connection
Mar 24, 2025•10 min
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Episode description
Story at-a-glance
- Between 50 million and 70 million Americans struggle with sleep disorders, and 8.4% of adults take sleep medications regularly. The rate rises with age, reaching 11.9% among those 65 and older
- Your brain has a cleaning mechanism called the glymphatic system, which flushes out harmful toxins during deep sleep, including beta-amyloids and tau proteins linked to neurodegeneration
- A 2025 study found sleeping pills suppress norepinephrine oscillations. This impairs the glymphatic system's waste removal function and causes toxin buildup in the brain
- Sleeping pills increase risks of falls, car accidents and workplace injuries. Long-term use is also linked to higher mortality, cancer risk and cognitive decline
- Instead of taking sleeping pills, address the root cause of your sleeplessness through the strategies outlined below
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