Can’t fall asleep: A joint research found that 54% of working adults in Malaysia are getting insufficient sleep. — ART CHEN/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Working adults who struggle to fall asleep at night are turning to prescription medicines such as cough syrup to help them doze off when other measures don’t work.
Data analyst Ahmad (not his real name), who has been suffering from sleep problems for years though not officially diagnosed as insomniac, said he resorted to cough syrup to get his much-needed slumber.
The 30-year-old said he had tried all other remedies such as using warm lighting in the bedroom and reading books before bed, to no avail.
He then turned to cough syrups that were accessible at local pharmacies without stringent controls.
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“Cough syrups really help me get sleepy.
“I’m aware of the possible consequences but I have no other choice,” said Ahmad, who lives in Subang Jaya, Selangor.
At local pharmacies, he would usually be asked the reason why he needed the medicine.
“I’d merely say I have a sore throat. Other than that, I just need to provide my contact information and identification number and it’s all good,” he added.
Ahmad is not alone. Joint research by Universiti Malaya and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 2021 found that 54.7% of working adults in Malaysia had insufficient sleep of less than seven hours daily.
It also said the rate of sleep insufficiency in the sample was much higher in comparison with the United States and Australia, where the rates were 34.8% and 24% respectively.
The local research surveyed a total of 11,356 working adults of various ages.
A writer who declined to be named said he relied on cough mixture to get some shut-eye.
The 29-year-old said he had unsuccessfully tried other methods such as installing blackout curtains and cutting the use of electronic devices an hour before bedtime.
“It’s been happening for a while now. Even after I exercise or have a hard day at work, I can’t sleep. When I eventually do fall asleep, it could be close to four in the morning and I’ll wake up feeling even more tired.
“With the cough mixture, however, I just doze off easily and get some proper rest.
“I know it’s not healthy but for the sake of my sanity, I feel it’s a risk worth taking for now.”
Aside from cough syrup, flu drugs are another popular option for people with sleep disorders.
A senior executive who preferred not to be identified said she consumed at least one flu pill at night to overcome her insomnia.
“My job can be stressful and sometimes in bed, I’d still be thinking about work. It makes me restless.
“The only way for me to get a good night’s sleep is by taking flu medication,” she said.
Doctors confirmed that there had been requests for prescription medicines to help people sleep.
“The demand is lower compared with previous times because of strict enforcement from the authorities.
“Nowadays, to sell psychotropic drugs, you need special annual permits and documentation on who you dispense the drugs to. The information has to be recorded in a logbook,” said a general practitioner on condition of anonymity.
Another doctor said cough syrups, antihistamines, hypnotics, steroids, benzodiazepines and melatonin were the drugs often requested.
“Prescription drug abuse is quite a common problem. The patients don’t usually go to clinics. Many buy them straight over the counter from pharmacies,” he said.
