Sleepless in the USA

This New York Times story is creating a big too doo.

I myself, cannot sleep. Not a good sleeper here. Every since I was a tiny little one.
But it seems that sleep deprivation is a large part of this western culture that has emergeed in the 21st century.

Just a little bit from the Times Story :

Record Sales of Sleeping Pills Are Causing Worries
By STEPHANIE SAUL
Published: February 7, 2006

Americans are taking sleeping pills like never before, fueled by frenetic workdays that do not go gently into a great night's sleep, and lulled by a surge of consumer advertising that promises safe slumber with minimal side effects.

About 42 million sleeping pill prescriptions were filled last year, according to the research company IMS Health, up nearly 60 percent since 2000.
But some experts worry that the drugs are being oversubscribed without enough regard to known, if rare, side effects or the implications of long-term use. And they fear doctors may be ignoring other conditions, like depression, that might be the cause of sleeplessness.

Although the newer drugs are not believed to carry the same risk of dependence as older ones like barbiturates, some researchers have reported what is called the "next day" effect, a continued sleepiness hours after awakening from a drug-induced slumber.

Ten percent of Americans report that they regularly struggle to fall asleep or to stay asleep throughout the night. And more and more are turning to a new generation of sleep aids like Ambien, the best seller, and its competitor, Lunesta.

Experts acknowledge that insomnia has become a cultural benchmark — a side effect of an
overworked, overwrought society.

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That's the gist of it. Long . Times stories are loooooong.
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I blogged it because it is good blogging material.
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