Dementia Risk and Your Sleeping Pills: The Alarming Connection

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