As reported in the journal Sleep Medicine, researchers studied 6,373 adults ages 65 and older to see if there was a relationship between dementia and sleep medications. Those who used sleep medications five to seven days per week were compared to a matched group who did not use sleep medications. The sleep medication users were found to have a 30 percent greater risk of dementia.

Far too many Americans have sleep issues. And sleep medications are blockbusters for Big Pharma. Go into any pharmacy and look at the number of sleep medications that are sold over-the-counter, and you will realize we have a big problem going on.

These medications help people sleep by slowing down the electrical activity of the brain and by lowering anxiety. However, there are far too many adverse effects from the continual use of sleep medications.

I work with patients to improve their sleep quality by using natural methods, including eating a healthy diet, drinking water during the day to maintain adequate hydration, and getting regular exercise. I encourage them to exercise daily for 30 minutes. Exercise can be as simple as walking.

There are also natural substances that can improve sleep quality. These include melatonin, GABA, ashwagandha, serotonin, 5HTP, valerian root, unrefined salt, and magnesium.

People taking a sleep medication can use any of those methods to gradually wean off the drug. Believe, me, your brain will thank you for it.