NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 127 ■ August 2013

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Health Statistics

Prescription Sleep Aid Use Among Adults: United States, 

2005–2010

Yinong Chong, Ph.D.; Cheryl D. Fryar, M.S.P.H.; and Qiuping Gu, M.D., Ph.D.

Key findings

Data from the National 

Health and Nutrition 

Examination Survey,

2005–2010

• About 4% of U.S. adults 

aged 20 and over used 

prescription sleep aids in the 

past month.

• The percentage of adults 

using a prescription sleep 

aid increased with age and 

education. More adult women 

(5.0%) used prescription sleep 

aids than adult men (3.1%).

• Non-Hispanic white adults 

were more likely to use sleep 

aids (4.7%) than non-Hispanic 

black (2.5%) and MexicanAmerican (2.0%) adults.

• Prescription sleep aid use 

varied by sleep duration and 

was highest among adults 

who sleep less than 5 hours 

(6.0%) or sleep 9 or more hours 

(5.3%).

• One in six adults with a 

diagnosed sleep disorder and 

one in eight adults with trouble 

sleeping reported using sleep 

aids.

Sedative and hypnotic medications, often referred to as sleep aids, are used 

to induce or maintain sleep by suppressing activities in the central nervous 

system. In the past two decades, both popular media and pharmaceutical 

companies have reported an increased number of prescriptions filled for sleep 

aids in the United States (1,2). In fact, a market research firm has reported a 

tripling in sleep aid prescriptions from 1998 to 2006 for young adults aged 

18–24 (3). This report presents person-based nationally representative 

estimates on prescription sleep aid use in the past 30 days, describes 

sociodemographic differences in use, and examines sleep aid use by selfreported sleep duration and insomnia. 

Keywords: hypnotic medications • sleeping pills • insomnia • National Health 

and Nutrition Examination Survey

Prescription sleep aid use in the past 30 days increased 

with age.

Figure 1. Percentage of adults aged 20 and over who used prescription sleep aids in the past 30 

days, by age: United States, 2005–2010

1

Significant increasing linear trend by age (p < 0.05).

NOTE: Sleep aids include all hypnotic drugs and four antidepressant or sedative medications commonly prescribed for 

insomnia or depression. 

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. 

0

2

4

6

8

80 and

over

All 20–39 40–49 50–59 60–69 70–79

Age in years

Percent

4.1

1.8

4.9

6.0

5.5

1

7.0

5.7
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 127 ■ August 2013

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During 2005–2010, about 4% of U.S. adults aged 20 and over reported that they took prescription 

sleep aids in the past 30 days. Prevalence of use was lowest among the youngest age group (those 

aged 20–39) at about 2%, increased to 6% among those aged 50–59, and reached 7% among 

those aged 80 and over (Figure 1). 

Prescription sleep aid use in the past 30 days varied by sex and

race and ethnicity.

Reported prescription sleep aid use in the past 30 days was higher among women (5.0%) than 

men (3.1%). Non-Hispanic white adults reported higher use of sleep aids (4.7%) than

non-Hispanic black (2.5%) and Mexican-American (2.0%) adults. No difference was shown 

between non-Hispanic black adults and Mexican-American adults in use of prescription sleep aids

(Figure 2). 

Figure 2. Age-adjusted percentage of adults aged 20 and over who used prescription sleep aids in the past 30 days, 

by sex and race and ethnicity: United States, 2005–2010 

1

Reference group.

2

Significantly different from reference group (p < 0.05).

NOTES: Data are age-adjusted to the 2000 projected U.S. standard population using the age groups 20–39, 40–59, and 60 and over. Sleep aids include all 

hypnotic drugs and four antidepressant or sedative medications commonly prescribed for insomnia or depression.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. 

0

2

4

6

8

1

3.1

2

5.0 1

4.7

2

2.5

2

2.0

Mexican

American

Non-Hispanic

black

Non-Hispanic

white

Men Women

Percent
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 127 ■ August 2013

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Prescription sleep aid use in the past 30 days increased with higher 

education.

Three percent of adults with less than a high school education reported using sleep aids in the past 

30 days, compared with 3.9% with a high school diploma and 4.4% of adults with greater than a 

high school education (Figure 3). 

Figure 3. Age-adjusted percentage of adults aged 20 and over who used prescription sleep aids in the past 30 days, 

by education: United States, 2005–2010 

1

Significant increasing linear trend by education (p < 0.05).

NOTES: GED is General Educational Development high school equivalency diploma. Data are age-adjusted to the 2000 projected U.S. standard population using 

the age groups 20–39, 40–59, and 60 and over. Sleep aids include all hypnotic drugs and four antidepressant or sedative medications commonly prescribed for 

insomnia or depression.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. 

0

2

4

6

8

Less than high school High school or GED Greater than high school

Percent

1

4.4

3.9

3.0
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 127 ■ August 2013

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Prescription sleep aid use in the past 30 days varied by sleep duration.

The National Sleep Foundation suggests that 7 hours of sleep is the minimum amount of sleep 

that adults need on a regular basis for optimal performance (4), thus 7 hours is used as the 

reference point for sleep duration. Compared with those who reported 7 hours of sleep (3.2%), 

adults with 5 or fewer hours of sleep per night had the highest use of sleep aids in the past 30 days 

(6.0%). Those with 6 hours of sleep (3.8%) did not significantly differ from the reference group, 

whereas those with 8 hours (4.1%) or 9 or more hours (5.3%) of sleep showed higher usage of 

sleep aids. In other words, when sleep duration was greater or less than 7 hours, the use of sleep 

aids increased (Figure 4). 

Figure 4. Age-adjusted percentage of adults aged 20 and over who used prescription sleep aids in the past 30 days, 

by sleep duration: United States, 2005–2010 

1

Significantly different from reference group (p < 0.05).

2

Significant quadratic trend with sleep duration (p < 0.05).

3

Reference group.

NOTES: Data are age-adjusted to the 2000 projected U.S. standard population using the age groups 20–39, 40–59, and 60 and over. Sleep aids include all 

hypnotic drugs and four antidepressant or sedative medications commonly prescribed for insomnia or depression.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. 

0

2

4

6

8

9 or more

hours

Sleep duration

Less than or 6 hours 7 hours 8 hours

equal to 5 hours

Percent

1,26.0

1,25.3

1

4.1

3

3.2

3.8
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 127 ■ August 2013

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Prescription sleep aid use in the past 30 days was higher among adults 

with diagnosed sleep disorders and among adults with trouble sleeping.

Over 16% of adults who reported a physician’s diagnosis of a sleep disorder reported using 

sleep aids in the past 30 days, which was more than five times higher than those who did not 

report such a diagnosis. About 13% of adults who told their doctor that they had trouble sleeping 

reported sleep aid use, which was nearly 12 times higher than those who did not report any 

trouble sleeping (Figure 5). 

Figure 5. Age-adjusted percentage of adults aged 20 and over who used prescription sleep aids in the past 30 days, 

by physician-diagnosed sleep disorder and self-reported trouble going to sleep: United States, 2005–2010

1

Significantly different from reference group (p < 0.05).

2

Reference group.

NOTES: Data are age-adjusted to the 2000 projected U.S. standard population using the age groups 20–39, 40–59, and 60 and over. Sleep aids include all 

hypnotic drugs and four antidepressant or sedative medications commonly prescribed for insomnia or depression.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. 

0

5

10

15

20

Diagnosed No Trouble sleeping No

sleep disorder

Percent

1

16.3

2

1.1

1

12.7

2

3.1

Summary

According to estimates, 50–70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders or deprivation 

(5), which can not only hinder daily functioning, but can also adversely affect their health (6,7). 

Prescription sleep aids are one of the treatment options for trouble going into or maintaining 

sleep. However, long-term use of sleep aids has been linked to adverse outcomes in health (8). 

So far, studies on sleep aid use are mostly based on administrative claims data, which describe the 

number of times sleep aid prescriptions are filled rather than how many people have actually used 

prescription sleep aids. This report provides the first person-based national data on prescription 

sleep aid use among the noninstitutionalized U.S. adult population. Approximately 4% of adults 

aged 20 and over reported using a prescription sleep aid in the past month. Use increased with age 

and was more common among women, non-Hispanic white adults, and those with greater than 

a high school education. Use also varied by sleep duration and was significantly higher among 

adults who reported sleep disorders or trouble sleeping. 
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 127 ■ August 2013

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Definitions

Prescription sleep aid users: Respondents who reported using any of the following hypnotic drugs 

in the past 30 days were classified as prescription sleep aid users: butabarbital, chloral hydrate, 

estazolam, eszopiclone, flurazepam, quazepam, ramelteon, temazepam, triazolam, zaleplon, 

and zolpidem. Respondents who reported using any of the following antidepressant drugs with 

sedative function in the past 30 days were also included as sleep aid users: amitriptyline, doxepin, 

mirtazapine, and trazodone. Although these latter drugs are not FDA-approved as primary 

medications for insomnia, their sedative effects make them frequently prescribed by clinicians for 

treating patients with both depression and sleep disorders (9). 

Education: Respondent’s education is based on self-reported education level and classified into 

three categories: less than high school, completed high school or general equivalency diploma, 

and greater than high school education.

Diagnosed sleep disorder: Defined by an affirmative answer to the question “Have you ever been 

told by a doctor or other health professional that you have a sleep disorder?”

Trouble sleeping: Defined by an affirmative answer to the question “Have you ever told a doctor 

or other health professional that you have trouble sleeping?”

Data source and methods

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey is a cross-sectional survey with a 

complex, multistage sample design. The sample design includes oversampling to obtain reliable 

estimates of health and nutritional measures for population subgroups. The survey consists of 

interviews conducted in participants’ homes and standardized physical examinations. 

During the home interview, survey participants were asked if they have taken a prescription drug 

in the past 30 days. Those who answered yes were asked to show the interviewer the medication 

containers of all prescription drugs. For each medication, the interviewer recorded the product’s 

complete name from the container. All reported medication names were converted to a standard 

generic name. 

This report is based on interview data conducted at respondents’ homes, therefore, interview 

sample weights, which account for the differential probabilities of selection, nonresponse, 

and noncoverage, were incorporated into the estimation process. The standard errors of the 

percentages were estimated using Taylor series linearization, a method that incorporates the 

sample design. Prevalence estimates were age-adjusted to the projected 2000 U.S. standard 

population using the following age groups: 20–39, 40–59, and 60 and over. Differences between 

groups were evaluated using a t statistic at the p < 0.05 significance level. Statistical hypotheses 

of no linear or quadratic trends were tested using orthogonal polynomials. All differences reported 

are statistically significant unless otherwise indicated. Statistical analyses were conducted using 

the SAS System for Windows (release 9.2; SAS Institute Inc., Cary, N.C.) and SUDAAN (release 

10.0; RTI International, Research Triangle Park, N.C.).
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 127 ■ August 2013

■  7  ■

About the authors

Yinong Chong, Cheryl D. Fryar, and Qiuping Gu are with the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, Division of Health and Nutrition Examination 

Surveys. 

References

1. Sleeping pill use grows as economy keeps people up at night. LA Times. 2009.

2. Cascade E, Kalali AH, Kwentus JA, Bharmal M. Trends in CNS prescribing following the 

economic slowdown. Psychiatry 6(1):15–77. 2009.

3. Russo A, Miller K, Marder W. Prescription sleep aid use in young adults. Thomson Reuters 

Research Brief. 2008. 

4. National Sleep Foundation. How much sleep do we really need? Available from: http://www.

sleepfoundation.org/article/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need.

5. Institute of Medicine. Sleep disorders and sleep deprivation: An unmet public health problem. 

2006. Available from: http://www.iom.edu/reports/2006/sleep-disorders-and-sleep-deprivationan-unmet-public-health-problem. 

6. CDC. Effect of short sleep duration on daily activities—United States, 2005–2008. MMWR 

60(8):239–42. 2011.

7. van Cauter E, Holmback U, Knutson K, Leproult R, Miller A, Nedeltcheva A, et al. Impact of 

sleep and sleep loss on neuroendocrine and metabolic function. Horm Res 67 Suppl 1:2–9. 2007.

8. Kripke DF, Langer RD, Kine LE. Hypnotics’ association with mortality or cancer: A matched 

cohort study. BMJ Open 2(1):e000850. 2012.

9. Mayo Clinic. Prescription sleeping pills: What’s right for you? Available from: http://www.

mayoclinic.com/health/sleeping-pills/SL00010.
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 127 ■ August 2013

Suggested citation

Chong Y, Fryar CD, Gu Q. Prescription 

sleep aid use among adults: United States, 

2005–2010. NCHS data brief, no 127. 

Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health 

Statistics. 2013.

Copyright information

All material appearing in this report is in 

the public domain and may be reproduced 

or copied without permission; citation as to 

source, however, is appreciated.

National Center for Health 

Statistics

Charles J. Rothwell, M.S., Acting Director

Jennifer H. Madans, Ph.D., Associate 

Director for Science

Division of Health and Nutrition

Examination Surveys

Kathryn S. Porter, M.D., M.S., Director

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