No Sleep

Taking sleeping pills may seem like a a helpful thing to people with insomnia, and truthfully they might be! However due to a recent study it was found that in normal patients the risk is increased up to 3.6 times, and then increased even more for being male. In obese patients, the risk of death was increased up to 9.3 times. It's believed to be due to the fact that sleeping pills are able to numb stimulation from the brain stem. Blocking of these stimulations is clearly something bad seeing as how the brain stem is responsible for necessary unconscious functions. As a result, these people who die usually die of respiratory failure while sleeping. Pretty much, researchers are urging doctors to reduce how much they prescribe people. It may be necessary for those extreme cases but I'm sure there are other ways besides pills to get people to sleep.
I found this interesting because I learned that last year my host mom was suffering from insomnia. She told me about her experience with sleeping pills and how much she disliked them and eventually she found a tea that helped her relax enough to sleep. I wasn't aware that there could be such a risk with sleeping pills but to me it seems that she made the best choice for herself and her family.

http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/04/02/hlsb0403.htm