Sleeping Pills and Other Drug Treatments

In some cases, doctors will prescribe medicines such as sleeping pills for the treatment of sleep disorders. Medications should be used in combination with good sleep practices and/or behavioral treatments.

Medications are often prescribed for short-term use.

Types of Medications Used to Treat Sleep Disorders

Listed below are some of the types of drugs used to treat sleep disorders. Your doctor can prescribe the appropriate medication for your particular sleep problems.

• Anti-parkinsonian drugs (dopamine agonists) including Sinemet, Parlodel, Requip, Permax, and Mirapex. These drugs may be used to treat restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder (also called nocturnal myoclonus syndrome).
• Benzodiazepines, which are included in a class of drugs called hypnotics. Some types of benzodiazepines include Klonopin, Valium, Restoril, Prosom, Xanax, and Ativan. These drugs may be used to treat parasomnias. Occasionally, they are also used to treat bruxism (teeth grinding) and short-term insomnia.
• Non-benzodiazepine hypnotics, including Ambien, Sonata, and Lunesta. These drugs are used to treat short-term insomnia.
• Melatonin Receptor Stimulator, Rozerem is newly approved in July 2005 and to date is in a class all by itself. It is used to treat insomnia.
• Opiates, such as codeine, oxycodone, methadone, dihydromorphone and propoxyphene. These drugs may be used to treat restless legs syndrome that won’t respond to treatment or present in pregnancy.
• Anticonvulsants, such as Tegretol, Carbatrol; Depakene, Depakote; and Neurontin. These drugs may be used to treat nocturnal eating syndrome, restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, and insomnia related to bipolar disorder.
• Antinarcoleptics, such as Provigil can be used to improve daytime wakefulness in those who are shift workers or suffer from narcolepsy or sleep apnea. Xyrem is another medication that can control excessive daytime sleepiness and loss of muscle control in people with narcolepsy.

Sleep Disorder Treatments In the Pipeline

In the Pipeline

A sleepdrug called eplivanserin is in phase III trials to determine its effectiveness in maintaining sleep in those who awaken frequently and have problems falling back asleep.

Indiplon, a drug from a company called Neurocrine Bioscience, works similar to the mechanism of Ambien but was shown to be more potent in experimental trials. Indiplon is not yet available for use.

Reviewed by The Sleep Medicine Center at The Cleveland Clinic.