#181 - Sleep Aids and Dementia: All Manner of Pills

You probably saw the headlines out of California as they sent a jolt through the sleep world as well as social media: Do common sleep medications increase your risk of dementia? In this episode we will:

• Review what the UCSF study actually found — and what the headlines got wrong
• Determine which medications are most often implicated (benzodiazepines vs Z-drugs vs trazodone)
• Take a deep dive into the three best studies on sleeping pills and dementia risk
• Find out why some large studies do show a connection… and others don’t
• Learn the real risks you should take seriously — even if dementia isn’t one of them
• Think about how doctors should actually practice prescribing sleep meds in older adults

Produced by: Maeve Winter

More

• Twitter: @drchriswinter
• IG: @drchriwinter
• Threads: @drchriswinter
• Bluesky: @drchriswinter
• The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!