Demand for Sleeping Pills Increases Substantially in the UK

Sleeping disorders have become much more prevalent in the UK in recent years. According to health experts, this is largely due to higher stress over the new challenges brought by the economic crisis. Since the financial crisis of 2008, the demand for sleeping pills has increased by nearly 20%.

Although sleeping problems occur more frequently in times when people under great levels of stress, experts caution that sleeping pills are not always the answer. The pills can be fairly expensive, but the real cost extends beyond the price of the medication itself. Sleeping pills can cause drowsiness and liver damage. Even more concerning, they can become highly addictive.

The Insomnia Epidemic

Dr Andrew McCulloch, the chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation discussed the epidemic and some of its most likely causes. McCulloch mentioned that sleep apnea and other medical conditions explain many cases of insomnia. However, he doesn’t believe that those problems explain the sudden rise in sleeping disorders. Many more people have complained about stress and anxiety-related issues.

Anxiety Disorders

The number of people suffering from stress and anxiety disorders has increased substantially since the beginning of the recession. They have also become more pronounced in recent months as the UK slipped back into a double dip recession and David Cameron’s administration announced cuts in many safety nets that kept UK citizens living a stable, comfortable life.

The National Health Society said its costs have increased considerably as the nation has become more dependent on sleeping aids. However, it also cautions that these pills are not usually intended to be long-term solutions. The problem is that economically related stressors are long-term variables that could lead to chronic sleeping problems. Therefore, many UK citizens have a hard time giving up these pills, even if they haven’t become psychologically addicted to them.