Dear Healthier Talk, I’ve had trouble sleeping lately and it’s been recommended that I try a prescription sleep aid. I’m not so sure I want to take a drug to sleep, and I think I remember reading about some strange side effects before. Should I be worried? Are sleeping pills ... Read More ›
sleeping pills
UPDATED:June 13, 2016
UPDATED:July 8, 2016
3 steps to relieve your holiday stress
It may be the most wonderful time of year, but it’s also the most stressful. Even if you love every second of it, for most of us the holidays come with a “to do” list longer than your arm. Between the cooking, cleaning, shopping and partying no wonder stress levels shoot through the roof. And ... Read More ›
UPDATED:June 3, 2016
The disturbing and deadly truth about sleeping pills
These days it seems like life is more stressful than ever. There’s so much to do. Between cleaning, cooking and shopping—and countless work and family obligations—it can make your head spin. And when you turn on the news it can seem like the world is falling apart. No wonder sleep problems ... Read More ›
UPDATED:February 9, 2016
Death by Sleeping Pill
Hey, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, sleeping pills are nothing but bad news. I've been warning you about their dangers for years now. In fact, it was around this time three years ago that I told you about a Boise, Idaho man who was pulled over for suspected drunk driving. He had ... Read More ›
UPDATED:July 18, 2016
Beware the medication mix that just might kill you
A major study confirmed what many of us have already long suspected and that is that regularly taking a fistful of drugs is essentially a recipe for disaster. For two years researchers from East Anglia University followed 13,000 volunteers who were 65 or older. They looked specifically at the ... Read More ›
February 9, 2016
Blood Pressure Medications Are Better Spaced Apart
Dear Pharmacist, I take four different medications for blood pressure in the morning. The labels all say, "Take once daily." Is that the best way to take them? I only ask because I bought a blood pressure monitor and I test myself, and my blood pressure is great all day and rises by nightfall. ... Read More ›
UPDATED:February 9, 2016
4 Ways to Ease Nighttime Pain
Nighttime pain is a cause of distress for millions of people. It seems that in the evenings when people are worn out from their long day and the body is shutting down its defenses, pain seems to jump front and center. Without the innumerable distractions from traffic, people, the phone, we are ... Read More ›
UPDATED:February 9, 2016
Is This Popular Drug Putting You at Risk for a Nighttime Tumble?
Feeling a bit wobbly when you get out of bed? It turns out your sleeping pill could be to blame. Ambien linked to balance issues in 58% of older adults A study found that the popular sleep drug zolpidem (you may know it by the brand name Ambien) causes balance problems in a considerable number ... Read More ›
February 9, 2016
Sleeping pills linked to shorter lifespan
Looks like sleeping pills might do the job just a little too well: A new study finds that they might help you achieve the Big Sleep. That's the one that lasts forever. And those aren't the only drugs linked to an early grave, because the same study also found an increased death risk with ... Read More ›
UPDATED:June 22, 2016
Dying for a good night’s sleep?
The phrase "I'm dying for a good night's sleep" just took on a whole new and frightening meaning. A study, published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry found that drugs prescribed for insomnia and anxiety significantly increase your risk of dying. Drawing on data gleaned from a 12-year ... Read More ›
