Zopiclone
About
Zopiclone belongs to a class of drugs called 'sedative-hypnotics' primarily used in the short-term treatment of insomnia. Insomnia is a disorder of sleep that causes difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep. It may be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) in nature due to various complications like stress, anxiety, and breathing problems.
Zopiclone works by increasing GABA activity, which is a chemical messenger in the brain acting as a natural nerve-calming agent, thereby inducing sleep. Thus, Zopiclone relaxes muscles, reduces anxiety, and helps to fall asleep.
Take Zopiclone as prescribed by your doctor. You are suggested to take Zopiclone as long as your doctor has prescribed it after checking your medical condition. Some people may experience dizziness, diarrhea, drowsiness, headache, nausea, vomiting, nose or throat infections, tiredness, stomach pain, double vision, and back pain. Most of these side effects of Zopiclone do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.
If you are known to be allergic to Zopiclone or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. If you notice that the tablets' effect is not as well as at the beginning of the treatment, please consult a doctor as you might have developed tolerance to Zopiclone and dose adjustment may be required. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it is advised to consult a doctor before using Zopiclone. If you have kidney, liver, or breathing problems, severe muscle weakness, sleep apnoea (a serious condition where breathing stops and repeatedly starts in sleep), and if you have a history of depression or mental illness, please inform your doctor before taking Zopiclone.
Uses of Zopiclone
Medicinal Benefits
Zopiclone is indicated for the treatment of insomnia. It is a Zopiclone used in treating short term trouble in falling asleep, waking up at night, or morning, or difficulty sleeping caused by accident or any mental illness that causes tension. This medicine is a benzodiazepine hypnotic that works on the brain and increases GABA activity ( a natural body chemical that works as a messenger between nerve cells). In this way, it relaxes the body to produce good sleep. Zopiclone reduces the time taken to fall asleep and increases the length of deep sleep. This relaxing good night's sleep helps the body strengthen your immune system, restore energy, make new healthy cells, and promote the body's repair.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Zopiclone
- Rash
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Diarrhoea
- Constipation
- Abdominal pain
- Drug Dependence
- A bitter or metallic taste
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
Stop taking Zopiclone and contact your doctor right away if you notice a sudden change in sleep behaviour or not being fully awake after waking up or if you are failing trouble in doing activities you generally do. The effects of Zopiclone may even remain to the next day after you wake up, so it's better to take about 7 to 8 hours of sleep after taking Zopiclone. It would be best to wait for a minimum of 8 hours after taking medicine before driving or operating any machinery. Elderly people are more sensitive to undesirable effects of Zopiclone, especially dizziness or confusion. Do not stop taking Zopiclone without informing your doctor. It may cause drug withdrawal symptoms like vomiting or nausea. If a person takes Zopiclone for a few weeks, there are fewer chances of getting addicted to drugs. However, you may be dependent on the drug if you take it for more than 4 weeks.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: Zopiclone may have interaction with high blood pressure-lowering medicines (metoprolol), opioid pain killers (hydrocodone, oxycodone, naloxone, tramadol), antidepressants (sertraline, desipramine, fluoxetine, venlafaxine, bupropion, fluvoxamine, escitalopram, amitriptyline, citalopram, duloxetine, mirtazapine), antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, rifampicin), antifungal drugs (ketoconazole), anti-anxiety drugs (alprazolam, clonazepam, lorazepam), antiallergics/antihistamines (diphenhydramine, hydroxyzine), muscle relaxants (cyclobenzaprine), and antiepileptic drugs (gabapentin, pregabalin). This is not a complete list of drug interactions.
Drug-Food Interactions: Zopiclone may interact with caffeine, St John’s wort (herbal medicine for treating depression). Also, avoid alcohol intake as it may increase the risk of dependence, psychomotor impairment (slowdown of thought process, and reduced physical movements), sleepwalking, or sleep-driving.
Drug-Disease Interactions: Do not take Zopiclone if you have severe liver disease, breathing problems, sleep apnoea (sudden stopping of breathing during sleep), extreme muscle weakness, kidney problems, and any history of depression mental illness.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeAvoid alcohol consumption with Zopiclone as it may increase the risk of dependence, psychomotor impairment (slowdown of thought process, and reduced physical movements), sleepwalking, or sleep-driving.
Pregnancy
unsafeZopiclone is a Category C pregnancy drug and is not recommended for use during pregnancy as it may cause adverse effects in the baby after birth.
Breast Feeding
unsafeAvoid breastfeeding while taking Zopiclone as it may be excreted in breast milk.
Driving
unsafeYou may experience dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, decreased alertness, blurred, or double vision, especially the day after taking Zopiclone. Therefore, avoid driving if you feel drowsy or dizzy after taking Zopiclone.
Liver
cautionTake Zopiclone with caution, especially if you have a history of Liver diseases/conditions. The dose may be adjusted by your doctor as required. Zopiclone is not recommended for severe liver disease patients.
Kidney
cautionTake Zopiclone with caution, especially if you have a history of Kidney diseases/conditions. The dose may be adjusted by your doctor as required.
Children
unsafeZopiclone is not recommended for children below 18 years of age.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Do regular exercise during day time.
- Do not take a nap during day time. Set regular timings to go to bed and wake up.
- Relax at least 1 hour before bedtime by bathing with warm water, listening to music, or reading a book.
- Make the bedroom dark and quiet and ensure that your pillows and mattresses are comfortable.
- Avoid watching tv, using mobiles or laptops just before bedtime.
- Limit caffeine intake including tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cola, and energy drinks as it may reduce the effectiveness of Zopiclone.
- Avoid alcohol consumption as it may increase the risk of psychomotor impairment (slowdown of thought process and reduced physical movements), dependence, sleepwalking, or sleep-driving.
Special Advise
- You are advised to take Zopiclone on an empty stomach as taking Zopiclone with food may reduce the effect of Zopiclone.
- If you are depressed or have depression in the past, please inform your doctor before taking Zopiclone to increase self-harming or suicidal thoughts.
- If you notice any behavioural side effects such as delusions (false belief), nightmares, irritability, restlessness, aggressiveness, or hallucinations (hear, feel or see things that are actually not present), please contact your doctor.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Insomnia: It is a disorder of sleep associated with problems in falling asleep or staying asleep. It may be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) in nature. Acute insomnia may last from one night to a few weeks and occurs due to stress or life changes. Chronic insomnia may last from more than 3 nights per week to more than 3 months. Insomnia is mostly caused due to depression, stress, anxiety, jet lag, shift work, uncomfortable beds, chronic illness, caffeine, nicotine or alcohol intake, or due to certain medicines. It may be treated using sleeping pills, behaviour therapy, sleep habits changes, and identifying and treating chronic conditions.
FAQs
A night of good relaxing sleep helps strengthen the immune system, improves heart health, repairs tissues, and muscles. Good refreshing sleep keeps a person acting for the next day, improves mental ability, learning, and reduces stress in their body.
Some of the common causes of sleeplessness (insomnia) include stress, poor sleeping habits, mental health issues, physical medical conditions, and pain related to them, and the usage of certain medicines.
For adult persons, good quality sleep means to fall asleep within half an hour of lying awake. It means a sound sleep without frequent waking during the night, if you wakeup then lifts to sleep within some time of waking up.
It is suggested to stick to a sleeping schedule, and take about 8 hours of sleep during the night. Eat light foods at night and limit alcohol consumption, caffeine, tea, smoking, or any product that affects sleep. Take less stress and make your environment restful before sleeping.
Lying in bed with closed eyes does not mean you are sleeping; it simply means your body is resting but not your brain.
You are recommended to take Zopiclone just before bedtime as it helps to sleep quickly and improve sleep quality. If you forget to take Zopiclone at night, do not take it in the daytime as it may cause drowsiness, confusion, and dizziness.
Bitter or metallic taste in the mouth is a side effect of Zopiclone. However, not every person faces it. If this bothers you, then it is advised to sip water and keep some water near the bed at night. You may also use some mouth wash before going to bed as it may also reduce the chance of dry mouth.
You are advised not to drink cold drink, coffee or energy drinks as it may affect the action of Zopiclone. Even try to avoid heavy foods at dinner, prefer light meals like soup.
