Sleep concerns
July 30, 2012
THE growing popularity of using
Provigil as a pick-me-up after a lack
of sleep has caused health experts
in the US to issue a warning to
patients that the drug is not the
“secret to success” in the absence
of a full night’s sleep.
“I am very concerned that people
have discovered yet another wonder
pill they can pop when they get
tired instead of figuring out how to
change their lives in order to get the
rest they need,” said Dr Schwimmer,
founder of The Snoring Center.
“Not a day goes by in my practice
that a patient doesn't ask me for a
prescription for sleeping pills or for
a drug to increase their alertness
during the day.
“It is a growing problem,” he added.
At present Provigil is approved in
the US only as treatment for
narcolepsy, sleep apnoea and for
people who work irregular hours,
however numbers of healthy users
are swelling, with patients using
the drug off label as a way to
enhance focus and productivity.
“It strikes me as shortsighted and
dangerous to think that we can
outmaneuver our innate need for
sleep by popping pills – particularly
pills with no long-term safety data,”
Schwimmer said.
“This is a deeper problem that
needs to be addressed by
promoting a healthy lifestyle that
powering the better use of medicines includes adequate sleep,” he added.
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