NHS GP Dr Amir Khan has issued a strong warning regarding the use of sleeping pills, advising people to “never ever” take them unless in very rare and specific circumstances. Speaking on his podcast, No Appointment Necessary, alongside presenter Cherry Healey, Dr Khan addressed the common question about when sleeping medication is appropriate.
Dr Khan explained that while there might be exceptional cases—such as experiencing acute trauma or the death of a loved one—where short-term sleeping pills could be considered, these situations are extremely rare. Even then, he emphasized he would only prescribe them for a maximum of one week, due to their addictive nature and the risk of building tolerance.
“The quality of sleep you get from sleeping tablets is different. You don’t enter the deep REM sleep required to feel truly refreshed,” Dr Khan cautioned.
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Instead, he recommends cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as the primary treatment for insomnia, noting that people may also benefit from psychiatric support to address underlying causes. CBT helps change patterns of thinking and behaviour that hinder restful sleep, offering a more sustainable and safer solution than medication.
Dr Khan also shared a practical, medically supported technique called cognitive shuffling to help ease the mind before bedtime. This involves thinking of calming, random words—such as names sequentially starting with each letter of the alphabet—to divert the brain from stressful thoughts and encourage relaxation.
According to the NHS, insomnia is defined as difficulty sleeping either short-term (less than three months) or long-term (three months or more). Adults typically require between 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night, and prolonged sleep issues should prompt a consultation with a GP.
If insomnia negatively affects daily life and sleep hygiene adjustments prove ineffective, seeking professional help is crucial for managing sleep health safely.