Zopiclone vs. Nitrazepam: Choosing the Right Drug for Falling or Staying Asleep

Insomnia is very common in the UK, affecting one in three people. Insomnia may only happen short-term, but for some people, it can affect them for months or years, severely affecting their quality of life. There were over 14 million prescriptions for anxiety and sleeping pills in 2014, with the highest number of prescriptions being written in the poorest and most deprived areas of the UK, where people tend to be more stressed. Zopiclone and Nitrazepam are two of the popular prescription drugs that medical professionals prescribe as short-term treatment for sleep disorders. However, which is suitable for your condition depends on factors like medical history, current medication regimen, health status, age, and severity. Please consult a doctor so that they can evaluate you to determine the causes and suggest the best one of the two drugs for your sleep problems.

What is Zopiclone and How Does It Work?

Zopiclone pill is a sedative-hypnotic medication, commonly referred to as a 'sleeping pill,' that helps adults get short-term relief from sleeping difficulties. Zopiclone is used to treat occasional insomnia and difficulty falling or staying asleep. This medication works by acting on the central nervous system and enhancing the activity of the GABA neurotransmitters in the brain and body. This action produces a calming effect, creating a state of relaxation inducing you to fall and stay asleep. This medication not only works to help improve your sleep quality but also promotes quicker and longer sleep duration.

What is Nitrazepam and How Does It Work?

Nitrazepam tablet is a powerful sleep medication that comes from the benzodiazepine family of drugs. It is classified as a Schedule IV controlled substance and is used as both an anticonvulsant and hypnotic medication by pharmacies and medical homes. It is popularly used in treating patients having trouble sleeping because of its effectiveness. However, several medical practitioners have seen proven results of the medication in treating various conditions related to depression and anxiety disorders. Nitrazepam is a powerful drug that belongs to the Benzodiazepine class of drugs and helps treat chronic sleeplessness and anxiety. The drug works primarily by relaxing the brain after blocking the GABA particles from signaling, restoring the normal sleep-wake cycle.

Comparison of Zopiclone and Nitrazepam

Listed below are some of the comparisons between Zopiclone and Nitrazepam so that you can know the details about their action and mechanism to make an informed decision regarding your drug choice:

• Usage: Since Zopiclone helps with falling asleep and staying asleep, individuals with acute sleep disturbances from stress or other temporary factors can benefit from it. It can enhance the depth and duration of your sleep, making you feel better rested and improving your mood and alertness. Nitrazepam has Strong sedative effects and muscle-relaxant properties for improved sleep. Nitrazepam promotes sleep by calming nerve activity in the brain, restoring regular sleep patterns, enhancing relaxation, calmness, and energy levels, and improving overall focus and quality of life.
• Action: Zopiclone is a medication that can be taken on an 'as needed' basis, but it is sometimes taken regularly when prescribed by the doctor for a particular treatment. Since it has a 'rapid onset action' mechanism, it is more likely to make you feel drowsy and sleepy within 30-60 minutes of taking zopiclone. In contrast, Nitrazepam starts its action slowly but lasts longer than Zopiclone, improving the depth of sleep but making you feel groggy the next day.
• Benefits: Zopiclone helps give you a good night's sleep and enhances your mood, alertness, and memory the next day. Compared to some alternatives, like injectable therapies, Zopiclone has a convenient oral dosing schedule. Nitrazepam has Anxiolytic properties and anticonvulsant capabilities that help in both anxiety and seizure management.
• Precautions: Avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages along with certain medications for heart, kidney, and lung disorders while using Zopiclone for insomnia. If you have respiratory conditions, acute pulmonary diseases, and liver problems, refrain from taking Nitrazepam with those health conditions or their medications, as they can interact, worsening your health.
• Side Effects: The common side effects of Zopiclone are drowsiness, dizziness, headache, slurred speech, and double vision, which tends to subside within a few days as you establish a tolerance to the dose of the medication. On the other hand, sedation, unsteadiness, vomiting, and diarrhea are some of the side effects of Nitrazepam. If the side effects persist or worsen, call for medical help promptly.
• Dependence: Zopiclone has some side effects; hence, it is not recommended for long-term use. However, it is usually considered safe for long-term usage under the guidance of a medical practitioner. However, you must exceed your prescribed dosage of zopiclone, which can lead you to grow a tolerance. The medication becomes less effective over time and necessitates higher doses to achieve the same effect. Nitrazepam acts in the same way but is mostly prescribed for short-term treatment of insomnia.
• Withdrawal: Before discontinuing any of these medicines, ask your doctor to taper the doses to the lowest dose so that you can skip a few alternate nights and eventually wean off the medication. If you quit the medications abruptly, it can cause withdrawal symptoms and unnecessary side effects. Hence, consult your doctor to lower the dose and gradually discontinue safely.
• Interactions: Zopiclone tends to interact with medicines for depression, mental health, opioids, epilepsy, surgery, antibiotics, and fungal infections. Nitrazepam, on the other hand, can interact with medications for heart, kidney, or liver disorders, leading to euphoric and sedative side effects.

Choosing the Right Medication for Falling or Staying Asleep

Here are some of the factors that you should consider before choosing either one of them:

• You should get yourself diagnosed to know the exact type of insomnia so that you can choose the right drug, between zopiclone and nitrazepam, to treat your kind of insomnia.
• You should inform your doctor of your medical history, including any underlying health conditions or allergies so that he can recommend the safest of the two options.
• You should consider each medication's potential side effects and safety profile and how they may impact your daily life.
• You must evaluate the risk of dependence and withdrawal associated with each medication to find the safe and best suit for your sleep health.
• You must consider the duration of action and how fast they start working to accommodate your administration schedule.
• You should also determine your personal preferences regarding dosing, dosage form, and cost to find the best combination of zopiclone and nitrazepam.

Conclusion

Taking nitrazepam will surely make you feel calmer and energized by fixing your sleep schedule and enhancing focus and overall quality of life. Always consult a doctor before you use or buy nitrazepam, as it has strong sedative and relaxing properties and needs to be handled with caution. On the other hand, the mechanism of zopiclone is somewhat similar to other sedative-hypnotics, which is why it is mostly preferred due to its relatively lower risk of dependence compared to other sleeping pills. If you experience difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep due to temporary stress, travel, or other short-term disruptions in your sleep patterns, you can benefit from taking zopiclone tablets. It is advised to consult a healthcare specialist before starting with any of the medications for your sleep disorder.