By the way, doctor: Are sleeping pills addictive?
But as a geriatrician, I don’t worry as much about dependence and rebound as I do side effects. Sleeping pills — especially the longer-acting benzodiazepines like diazepam (Valium) and flurazepam (Dalmane) — linger in the body, so people feel drowsy and “out of it” during the day. Drowsiness, particularly among older people, causes falls and accidents. Shorter-acting sleeping pills were developed to avoid this problem, but in my experience, some people develop a tolerance for them, so they wind up taking more pills to get the same sleep-inducing effect and daytime sleepiness still is a problem.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online Plus (HHO+) to unlock expert-backed health insights, personalized tools, and exclusive resources to feel your best every day.
Here’s what you get with your HHO+ membership:
- Unlimited access to all Harvard Health Online content
- 4 expertly curated newsletters delivered monthly
- Customized website experience aligned to your health goals
- In-depth health guides on topics like sleep, exercise, and more
- Interactive features like videos and quizzes
- Members-only access to exclusive articles and resources
I’d like to subscribe to HHO+ for $4.99/month to access expert-backed content to help make smart, informed decisions about my well-being.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
