Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health Why Your Sleep Pills Are Speeding Up Aging - AI Podcast
Jun 23, 2025
Discover the surprising link between sleep quality and aging, revealing how insomnia can escalate physical disabilities in older adults. Learn why sleep medications might worsen your condition instead of helping. Explore the myths surrounding sleep and aging, emphasizing effective alternatives like cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. Understand the critical role of a dark sleeping environment and actionable steps to reduce EMF and blue light exposure for improved sleep health.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Insomnia Predicts Disability Progression
- Insomnia frequency directly predicts disability progression in older adults.
- Even mild sleep troubles increase risk of needing assistive care within a year.
Sleep Pills Accelerate Decline
- Sleep medications do not protect against disability; they worsen it.
- Insomnia plus sedatives accelerates physical decline the most.
Sleep Loss Impairs Daily Tasks Early
- Early disability affects daily tasks like buttoning shirts and walking.
- Sleep troubles undermine independence by impairing simple physical movements.