Why it matters and 5 keys to falling asleep

first 5 months of the year More than 7% of boxes of sleeping psychotropic drugs sold in Argentina This is an increase from a year ago, according to the Argentine Pharmaceutical Federation Monitoring Group. This data is consistent with increases in sleeping pill intake recorded several years ago and outlines a different story. This means that not only are thousands of people in Argentina today sleeping very poorly, but our lack of patience to deal with insomnia has worsened and we have succumbed to it without much trouble. One of the most basic needs (sleep) Sad prescription tablet. Three experts on the matter say the situation could be different.

It’s easy (and partly boring, too) to blame everything on the pandemic. At the same time, a sales list of hypnotics and sedatives sold in Argentina confirms that there has been a significant increase in the number of units distributed on the local market after the pandemic, demonstrating how difficult this problem will be to overcome.

According to the COFA Observatory, 2,713,004 boxes of hypnotics and sedatives were sold in 2014. There was a slight decline from 2015 to 2017, but it started to increase again in 2018. The 2019 data is the data that should be processed in 2020, but no annual report was published, just as no annual report was published in 2020 and 2021. However, in the 2022 record, Approximately 1 million more units were sold than the previous year. Total: 3,503,778. and 3,792,691 boxes of hypnotics and sedatives in 2023.

According to the usual report, 3,647,388 units were sold in 2024, down slightly, but it is not illogical to expect this figure to adjust once the observatory merges the data and issues a comparative report for 2024 and 2025. Usually at the beginning of the next year, in this case 2026.

Meanwhile, another interesting person stood out. Compare the first five months of 2024 to this same exhausting period of 2025. From January to May 2024, 1,425,967 units of sleeping pills were sold. This year, they almost 7% or more.

the numbers speak for themselves More people are having trouble sleeping than beforebut the question of what to do about it remains if we are to reduce the consumption of sedatives and intravenous drugs.

It may seem contradictory, but another category of psychotropic drugs, which the COFA watchdog group calls “tranquilizers,” fell by 4% year-on-year in the first months of this year. There is a small information gap here, as COFA obtains data from international consulting firm IQVIA, and pharmaceutical companies have not fully specified what they mean by “tranquilizers.” However, two of the three experts consulted for this article agreed that “tranquilizers” are tranquilizers. Benzodiazepines Either anti-anxiety drugs (e.g. clonazepam), and other drugs such as zolpidem and eszopiclone.

One such voice is Diego Sarasola, a physician specializing in neuropsychiatry and director of the Alexander Luria Institute. He obtained other data from the COFA observatory. It’s called an antidepressant. “Mood stabilizer”. It sold 1.3% more.

“Anxiety disorders and insomnia are very commonly treated with anti-anxiety drugs rather than anti-depressants. That’s a mistake because that’s the recommended treatment in all international guidelines. We should forget the name ‘antidepressants’ because the drugs that work best are anti-depressants.” semantic problem It led to a real abuse of anti-anxiety drugs. As well as improperly written prescriptions. self-prescription. “In this sense, we can say that we are seeing an amazing increase,” he said.

Sales of anti-anxiety drugs are very large (3-4 times more than hypnotics and sedatives) and are used to treat insomnia as well as anxiety. It is important to note that these two conditions are not necessarily actual disorders. In rare cases, drug treatment is necessary.must be determined by a medical professional.

Cristian Garay is a doctor of psychology, professor at the Department of Psychology at UBA, and a member of the Observatory of Applied Social Psychology (OPSA), an institution that in 2024 published the “Survey on the Psychological State of the Argentine People”, in which a part was devoted to the sensitive topic “Dreams.” Garay recalled some data collected at the time.

“The pandemic has facilitated what we have always done, the expanded use of digital devices and working from home, which is understandable, but has outpaced the effects of the pandemic. blue light from screen (This tricks your brain into thinking it’s daytime and reduces the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle.), a home office with a mix of rest and work spaces had an important impact on good sleep,” he explained.

Now, “all these things are what activate it,” he said. The problem remains, “Many people are using psychotropic drugs to quickly solve their sleep problems without medical management. This problem has been going on for a long time, but now it seems to be getting worse. This is very delicate. Benzodiazepines cause habituation, so you need to take them in higher doses to get the same effect, and they also cause side effects.” cognitive impairmentNumerous studies of older adults who took these drugs for years have shown that over time they have more falls and begin to look like drunks. ”

According to the OPSA study, out of approximately 5,000 adults surveyed, 20% say they self-medicate to cope with anxiety. “One in four Argentines use alcohol or self-medication to manage stress. It’s a complex combination,” he summarized.

In connection with the pandemic and increased consumption of sleeping pills, Sarasola recalled, “There is no human event more stressful than uncertainty.” In another sense, some of that is happening today, Garay said. “The uncertainty and stress caused by the current situation affects our ability to relax. It’s very difficult to relax if at the end of the day all you have to do is watch stressful things on the news, such as announcements of catastrophes or potentially bad scenarios. They increase uncertainty and interfere with sleep. I have a friend named Pablo López, who is an expert on these issues, and we always think about these things together.”

clarion I spoke with Pablo Lopez. He is a famous psychologist (author of the book) Even if I dream of sleeping, it doesn’t come out) and is a researcher at the Institute of Cognitive Neurology (INECO), where he directs the Sleep Health Unit. Additionally, she holds a degree in Psychology from Favaloro University.

“Although more and more people are complaining of sleep problems, it doesn’t necessarily mean they have a sleep disorder,” Lopez warned. He said this “marks the peak of the pandemic, but the latest OPSA report shows that: 60% had frequent or sometimes sleep problems”.

Again, what do we do with this? To further complicate matters, Lopez added that psychotropic drugs are particularly popular among young people, who seem to be “tolerant of taking psychiatric drugs every day.” At the same time, “there is little knowledge, not only among patients but also among professionals, about what non-pharmacological interventions for sleep problems are.”

The first logical approach to treating sleep is to see a mainstream psychologist (a medical professional who does not have the authority to prescribe medication). cognitive behaviorMr. Garay and Mr. Lopez agreed. But “there are also serious delays in referrals and the reality that access to these treatments is completely limited. There are very few specialists dedicated to this treatment, and universities offer little training in this type of intervention,” López lamented.

Garay added that there are many psychologists in Buenos Aires, but the public sector is broken. “Our study is a biased sample because 25% of those consulted are in therapy and not everyone completes a psychological survey. However, half of those not in therapy said they would like to do therapy but are unable to do so because there is no center nearby.”

Many people with sleep problems know that they should avoid looking at screens before bed, eat light meals, and avoid physical activity and stimulation of any kind (such as caffeine or several hours before bedtime). Easier said than done. Do it, no. So?

For Garay, you can give a simpler message. “Try it” Reduce your sedentary lifestyle: “It doesn’t take that long. 30 minutes a day. Instead of taking the second bus, walk. It’s more physical than playing sports.”

For Lopez, “we need to reposition our dreams.” He cited Colin Espy, a renowned sleep medicine expert who defined five key principles.

“The first is, value sleep as something important. When we value something as important, we tend to protect it. protect your sleep This is the second principle in terms of looking at what is within reach, evaluating possible guidelines and increasing compliance,” he explained.

The third principle is prioritize sleep. “There are times when you really need sleep. There are moments when you’re more relaxed, but there are times when you have to prioritize sleep, without losing sight of its impact on your daily life,” he clarified.

“Fourth, customize your sleep. Yes, yes, a lot of work has been done in recent years to get rid of the idea that you have to sleep for 7 or 8 hours and see how many hours you need to sleep. He reported that following duties can be a stressor.

5th Believe that dreams will come by themselvesMr. Lopez concluded by saying: “Prescriptions and permanent recommendations may robotize us again. We must look for the opposite. Deliberate efforts lead us to control, but control is incompatible with dreams. We must believe that dreams will come.”