Can you get hooked on sleeping pills?

A Canadian study has found that about half of elderly patients prescribed common medications to help them sleep while in hospital are taking the drugs at least six months after discharge because they have become dependent on their snooze-inducing effects.

The sleeping pills, known as benzodiazepines, include brands such as Valium and Ativan. They’ve been linked to such serious side-effects as daytime sleepiness, cognitive impairment, injuries from falls and motor vehicle collisions.

Dr. Chaim Bell, a scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) in Toronto, and lead author of the study, said this week: “An … often overlooked issue is that long-term use of benzodiazepines can lead to dependence.”

Source: Canadian Press