Mr Fernandes and the Sleeping Strip

Mr Fernandes, 74, a retired clerk in Goa, has taken a sleeping tablet every night for years, first prescribed after his wife died. Lately he has been dizzy and forgetful, and fell in the bathroom last month. He also has …

Mr Fernandes, 74, a retired clerk in Goa, has taken a sleeping tablet every night for years, first prescribed after his wife died. Lately he has been dizzy and forgetful, and fell in the bathroom last month. He also has a drink in the evening 'to relax', and sometimes takes an extra tablet when he cannot sleep.

His daughter, visiting from Mumbai, finds several strips in different drawers. She is alarmed but does not scold. She sits with him and says, "Papa, I am not taking anything away. I want your doctor to look at all of this."

At the clinic, the doctor reviews all his medicines and explains that sleeping tablets can cause dizziness, memory trouble and dependence, especially in older people, and that mixing them with alcohol is dangerous. He does not tell him to stop at once; he plans a slow, supervised reduction along with better sleep habits and treatment of the loneliness underneath.

Mr Fernandes joins a morning walking group and drinks less. It takes weeks, but he sleeps more naturally. His daughter keeps a list of all his medicines, and the doctor makes sure only one clinician prescribes them. He admits he had been afraid of lying awake with his thoughts, and that saying so aloud was a relief. His daughter calls him every evening for the first few weeks.

How to recognise it

• Long-term use of sleeping tablets with dizziness, falls or forgetfulness.

• Taking extra tablets or combining with alcohol.

• Medicines kept in several places and unclear what is taken.

• Loneliness, grief or poor sleep behind the tablet use.

• Fear of sleeping without medicine.

What this story explains

Sleeping medicines can cause dependence and side effects, especially in older adults, and should only be reduced under a doctor's guidance. Alcohol and extra tablets add to the risk.

Probable root causes

• Grief and loneliness.

• Age-related changes in sleep.

• Long-term habit and dependence.

• Alcohol use.

• Several medicines used without a single overview.

What to do

1. Gather all medicines and take them to the doctor.

2. Ask the doctor about a slow, supervised plan; do not stop abruptly.

3. Keep alcohol out of the picture.

4. Improve sleep habits: daylight, activity, regular times.

5. Address grief and loneliness through company and counselling.

6. Store medicines safely and keep a list.

Whom to consult

• Family doctor or geriatric physician for a full medicine review.

• Psychiatrist if sleep or mood problems continue.

• Counsellor for grief and loneliness; emergency service or nearest hospital if someone takes too many tablets or cannot be woken.

Do and don’t

How to behave and communicate

• Speak respectfully: "Papa, I want you safe and sleeping well."

• Avoid blame or lectures.

• Listen to his loneliness.

• Offer to go with him to the doctor.