"So people are trying a lot of things before they come to talk to a physician" about their sleep problems, she said.Doctors are often hesitant to prescribe sleep medications to older patients"unless there's a real reason for it," Abbasi-Feinberg said. Typically, such medications are prescribed only after"a more in-depth evaluation and discussion about the benefits and risks.
It's important for doctors to routinely ask patients about sleep and how they're dealing with anxiety and to refer patients to a sleep specialist when necessary, said Abbasi-Feinberg. Patients, too, should raise the subject with their doctors. Adults should try to get about 7 hours of sleep a night, although some need more and others can get away with less, she added.
Maybe it's the poison?
Insomnia is the cousin of mental illness.
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