Articles about Medicines

Medication as a sleeping aid – is it your best option?

Whether you’ve been prescribed sleeping medication by your healthcare professional, are exploring your options, or are wondering ‘how do sleeping pills work?’, our medicines articles clearly explain how different drugs affect sleep. Breaking down the science, we take a look at how different drugs work, their potential side effects, and offer an alternative drug-free solution to manage your sleep problems.

Lunesta (eszopiclone) for sleep: what you need to know

Lunesta, the brand name for eszopiclone, is just one of the ‘Z’ drugs prescribed for sleep. In this article we look at in detail, explaining its side effects and how effective it is as a short-term treatment for sleep problems.

Daridorexant: can it fix your insomnia?

Daridorexant, sold under the brand name Quiviviq, is a fairly new insomnia drug that works differently to sleep medications you might have heard of before. In this article we’re going to look at just why this is.

Hydroxyzine for sleep: can it help with insomnia?

As part of our series on sleep medications, we take a look at the antihistamine hydroxyzine. In this article, we explain what it’s used for, how effective it is at treating sleep and what you should consider before taking it.

Temazepam: will it help you get deep sleep?

Temazepam (Restoril) is a sleeping pill that has been in use for decades. In this article we look at the history of temazepam, whether it can help you sleep, the potential side effects of taking it and where to turn if you’re looking for drug-free alternatives to help you sleep.

Trazodone for sleep: what you need to know

Trazodone is an antidepressant that has been gaining popularity as a sleep pill. In this article we look at the pros and cons of trazodone and we examine whether it truly is a useful medication for sleep.

Zopiclone and sleep

Zopiclone — one of the so-called Z drugs — is primarily used for the short-term treatment of sleep problems. In this article we discuss its potential benefits, reported side effects and how it rates as an effective alternative to benzodiazepines.

Medicines that can affect sleep

A wide range of medicines are available to help you sleep, but it can be a minefield deciding what’s right for you and whether a drug-free approach might work best. In this article we look at what’s on the market and what you need to know about medicines for sleep.

Seroquel (quetiapine) for sleep: will it work for you?

Drugs with sedative side effects are becoming an increasingly common alternative to sleeping tablets in the treatment of insomnia. In this article we focus on quetiapine — often marketed as Seroquel in the USA — and look at whether or not it’s an effective treatment for patients struggling with their sleep.

Amitriptyline for sleep, is it a bad idea?

Amitriptyline is an increasingly popular choice for the treatment of insomnia but is it right for you and does it really work? In this article we look at the history of the drug, its side effects and its effectiveness as a prescribed sleep aid.

Zolpidem

Zolpidem — one of the so-called Z drugs — is primarily used for the short-term treatment of sleep problems. In this article we discuss its potential benefits, reported side effects and how it rates as an effective alternative to benzodiazepines.

Mirtazapine and sleep: will it help you sleep better?

Mirtazapine is an antidepressant which may be useful as a sleep aid for people with insomnia. In this article we look at what’s currently known about how this drug works and whether it may be suitable as a treatment for chronic insomnia.