One in eight American adults is regularly taking some kind of sleep aid, such as a supplement or an over-the-counter drug, to help them fall or stay asleep, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Sujay Kansagra, a sleep specialist at Duke University Medical Center, said the findings suggested that many people were trying to hack their way to better sleep, expecting a supplement such as melatonin or magnesium to be “a magic pill.”

What they should be doing instead, he added, is working with a doctor to address the root cause of their sleep troubles.

Sleep problems are common: Another report released last month by the CDC found that nearly one-third of adults were not getting the minimum seven hours of sleep a night that doctors recommend.…