Taking sleeping pills ‘is as bad as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day’

Millions of us rely on sleeping pills to get us off to sleep – whether we’re regular users or just use them occasionally.

But the pills are far worse for you than you imagine – and could pose the same level of health risk as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, according to one researcher.

Arizona State University sleep researcher Shawn Youngstedt says that people who can’t sleep should use exercise instead.

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Studies have linked sleeping pills to problems from broken bones caused by falls – to heart attacks.

Youngstedt said in an interview with CNN, ‘Sleeping pills are extremely hazardous. They are as bad as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.

‘Not to mention they cause infections, falling and dementia in the elderly, and they lose their effectiveness after a few weeks.

‘It’s less expensive, healthier and just as easy to exercise and there’s an added bonus: research suggests those who are physically active a have lower risk of developing insomnia in the first place.’