Seasonal and gender-specific patterns in prescriptions for hypnotic and sedative medications in primary care.

INTRODUCTION

Population-level prevalence of sleep disorders can be assessed using prescription data for hypnotic and sedative medications. Such prescribing patterns exhibit seasonality that may be linked to variations in daylight exposure. The aim of this study was to analyze temporal trends in prescriptions for drugs with sedative-hypnotic properties.

METHODS

Prescription data for hypnotics and sedatives were analyzed retrospectively and stratified by month, year, and patient gender. Seasonal patterns, associations with day length, and the effects of transitions between daylight saving time and standard time were examined. Changes in prescription numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic were also assessed. Relative differences in prescription counts were evaluated using incidence rate ratios (IRR).

RESULTS

Prescription numbers were lowest in summer (May-August) and highest in winter and early spring. Increasing day length was significantly associated with reduced prescription rates. A decline in prescriptions occurred earlier and was more pronounced in men (February-September; IRR 0.88-0.95), whereas in women the changes were weaker and mainly limited to summer months (June-August; IRR 0.94-0.97), with a slight increase observed in February. During the COVID-19 pandemic, prescription numbers decreased significantly. Transitions between standard and daylight saving time exerted measurable short-term effects on sleep-related health at the population level.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on data from a single primary care center in Poland, prescribing patterns for hypnotic and sedative medications demonstrate clear seasonality and significant gender differences. Longer daylight exposure and transitions to daylight saving time are associated with lower prescription rates. The COVID-19 pandemic substantially disrupted previous trends in sleep medication prescribing, which may be related to reduced access to healthcare services and changes in healthcare delivery. In addition, transitions between standard and daylight saving time were associated with statistically significant short-term changes in prescription rates.