Do sleeping pills pose health risks, and what are the alternatives for people who have trouble getting a good night’s rest?

Scripps Clinic’s Lawrence Kline, M.D., discussed those issues with the hosts of “The People’s Pharmacy,” a nationally syndicated radio program focused on health matters.

Dr. Kline, who directs the Viterbi Family Sleep Center at Scripps Green Hospital, co-authored a sleep study that linked the most commonly prescribed sleeping pills to a 4.6 times higher risk of death and a significant increase in cancer cases among regular pill users. He also discussed the role of sun light and cognitive therapy in improving sleep hygiene.

Listen to the interview: Solving the Sleep Dilemma — Oct. 27, 2012