Why are more and more doctors recommending the new generation of sleeping pills? An in-depth analysis of the differences in safety and efficacy!
1. The sleep crisis in modern society: Why do we need safer sleeping pills?
In modern society, insomnia has become a global health problem . According to the World Health Organization ( WHO ), about 35% of adults worldwide are affected by sleep disorders, of which 10% suffer from chronic insomnia ( Morin et al., 2020 ). Long-term insomnia not only leads to decreased attention, weakened immunity, and emotional instability , but may also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, anxiety and depression ( Krystal et al., 2019 ).
In order to deal with sleep problems, sleeping pills have become a solution that many people have to choose . However, for a long time, the side effects of traditional sleeping pills (such as benzodiazepines ), such as addiction, increased tolerance, and morning sleepiness , have caused many doctors and patients to look for safer alternatives. In recent years, a new generation of sleeping pills (such as suvorexant, lebrexant, and darilexant ) are gradually replacing traditional sleeping pills with higher safety and more natural sleep-inducing mechanisms , becoming the more recommended insomnia treatment option by doctors.
So, what are the advantages of the new sleeping pills? How can they help people sleep better while avoiding side effects?
2. Limitations of traditional sleeping pills: Why are doctors prescribing them less?
Traditional sleeping pills mainly include benzodiazepines (such as diazepam, alprazolam) and non-benzodiazepines (such as zopiclone, zolpidem) . Their mechanism of action is to directly inhibit brain nerve activity by affecting GABA receptors, causing people to fall asleep . However, although this method can be effective in the short term, long-term use has the following problems:
📌 Major issues with benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepines :
• Easy to become addictive : Long-term use will make the brain dependent on the drug, and the dosage needs to be continuously increased to maintain the effect ( Lader, 2011 ).
• Impact on memory and cognitive function : Studies have shown that long-term use of benzodiazepines increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease by 50% ( Billioti de Gage et al., 2014 ).
• Feeling sleepy when waking up in the morning and affected daytime state : Some traditional sleeping pills have a long half-life, which leads to decreased attention and slower reaction time the next day ( Kuriyama & Endo, 2018 ).
• Sleep rebound after stopping medication : After stopping medication, many patients experience insomnia symptoms that are even more severe than before taking the medication ( Lader, 2011 ).
Because of these side effects, many doctors have reduced the prescribing of traditional sleeping pills, especially long-term use .
3. The core advantages of new sleeping aids: How to improve sleep while avoiding side effects?
New sleeping aids (such as Suvorexant, Lebrexant, and Darilexant ) use a new orexin receptor antagonist mechanism ( Orexin Receptor Antagonist, ORA ), and their mode of action is completely different from traditional sleeping pills.
Unique mechanism of action of orexin receptor antagonists ( ORAs )
• Reduces wakefulness signals without forcing sedation – does not “ hypnotize ” like benzodiazepines, but allows the brain to naturally enter sleep mode
• Maintains natural sleep structure – no loss of deep sleep, more restorative sleep
• Non-dependent and will not cause addiction - suitable for long-term use, no sleep rebound after stopping the drug
📌 Scientific research supports :
• Patients taking suvorexant experienced 43% fewer nighttime awakenings and more stable sleep ( Herring et al., 2016 ).
• After 12 months of long-term use, there was no significant decrease in sleep quality after discontinuation of the drug, and no withdrawal symptoms ( Sun et al., 2021 ).
• Compared with traditional sleeping aids, patients taking Dauvilliers feel more energetic in the morning without affecting daytime wakefulness ( Dauvilliers et al., 2022 ).
These research results show that the new generation of sleeping aids are much safer than traditional sleeping pills, so more and more doctors are recommending patients to choose these new drugs .
4. Comparison of the safety of three new sleeping pills
|
Drug Name |
Features |
Is it addictive? |
Does it affect cognition? |
Does it affect daytime status? |
|
Suvorexant |
Helps stabilize sleep and reduce nighttime awakenings |
No dependencies |
No impact |
Possibly mild morning drowsiness |
|
Lemborexant |
Speed up falling asleep and adjust your biological clock |
No dependencies |
No impact |
Some people may experience mild drowsiness |
|
Daridorexant |
Improve deep sleep and wake up refreshed in the morning |
No dependencies |
No impact |
Does not affect daytime status |
5.Why do doctors prefer to recommend the new generation of sleeping pills?
Compared with traditional sleeping pills, the core advantages of new sleeping pills are:
✅ Safer : No dependence, no addiction
✅ Better sleep quality : does not disrupt deep sleep and improves overall sleep rhythm
✅ Better daytime performance : no impact on cognitive function or morning drowsiness
✅ Suitable for long-term use : no decrease in sleep quality after discontinuation of medication
📌 Recommended use :
💊 Recommended dosage : Depending on individual circumstances, suvorexant ( 10-20mg ), leborexant ( 5-10mg ), dalirexant ( 25mg ) , taken 30 minutes before bedtime.
💡 Note : Ensure at least 7 hours of sleep after taking it, and avoid using it with alcohol or other sedatives to maintain the best effect.
6.Why do doctors recommend the new generation of sleeping pills?
Although traditional sleeping pills (such as benzodiazepines) are effective, long-term use may cause side effects such as addiction, decreased cognitive function, and morning drowsiness . Therefore, they are not suitable as a long-term insomnia management solution.
New sleeping aids (such as suvorexant, leporexant, and darilexant) use the orexin receptor antagonist mechanism to help the brain fall asleep naturally. They are not addictive, do not affect cognition, and do not affect daytime states , making them a safer long-term sleep aid option.
If your sleep problems include long-term insomnia, waking up easily at night, and fatigue in the morning , then the new generation of sleeping pills may be a more scientific and safe choice .
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