Swimming champ O'Neill warns Olympic athletes about dangers of using 'switch off' pills

London, July 2 (ANI): Australian swimming star Susie O'Neill has warned athletes about the dangers of over-using sleeping pill Stilnox who are searching for ways to 'switch off' during the London Olympics.

According to The Telegraph, O'Neill said she regularly could not get to sleep until 2 a.m. during the Sydney Olympics and predicted sleep deprivation would again hit members of the 2012 swim squad.

O'Neill's reaction came in the wake of revelations by Olympic champion Grant Hackett that he battled a 'heavy reliance' on the 'evil' sleeping pill in the latter stages of his career.

"You have to give a warning about overuse because there will be athletes wanting sleep and not getting as much as they need," O'Neill said.

"I never took tablets in my career, but maybe I wished I could have in Sydney when I did feel nerves and lack of sleep affected performances. I know Australian Swimming now has an 'anti' stance because when I suggested that little story to tell the swimmers, I was told not to," she added. (ANI)