PlainMeds provides educational information only. This is not medical advice. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist.

eszopiclone vs lemborexant

Side-by-side comparison of eszopiclone and lemborexant Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

Drug Class
eszopiclone Non-Benzodiazepine Hypnotic (Z-Drug)
lemborexant Orexin Receptor Antagonist
Type
eszopiclone Prescription
lemborexant Prescription
Summary
eszopiclone

Eszopiclone (Lunesta) is a medicine that helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. It is used to treat insomnia.

lemborexant

Dayvigo is a medicine that can help you fall asleep and stay asleep. It is for adults who have trouble with insomnia.

What It Treats
eszopiclone

Eszopiclone is used to treat insomnia, which means you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. It can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Studies have shown it works for up to 6 months.

lemborexant

Dayvigo is used to treat insomnia in adults. Insomnia means you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or both. This medicine can help you sleep better.

How It Works
eszopiclone

Eszopiclone works by slowing down activity in your brain. This helps you relax and fall asleep. It affects certain chemicals in your brain that regulate sleep.

lemborexant

Dayvigo works by blocking orexin, a chemical in your brain that keeps you awake. By blocking orexin, Dayvigo helps you feel sleepy. This allows you to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Common Side Effects
eszopiclone
  • Unpleasant taste
  • Headache
  • Feeling sleepy
  • Respiratory infection
  • Dizziness
lemborexant
  • Feeling sleepy
FAERS Reports
eszopiclone
  • The medicine is not working 4,824
  • Trouble sleeping 3,890
  • Bad taste in mouth 3,853
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 1,383
  • Waking up in the middle of the night 1,213
lemborexant
  • The medicine did not work 286
  • Using the medicine for a condition it is not approved for 165
  • Trying to kill oneself 133
  • Feeling sleepy 128
  • The health problem got worse 117
Serious Warnings
eszopiclone

Eszopiclone can cause complex sleep behaviors like sleepwalking, sleep driving, and doing other activities while not fully awake. Some of these can lead to serious injuries or even death. Stop taking eszopiclone right away if this happens.

lemborexant

Dayvigo can make you feel very sleepy, even the next day. Be careful driving or doing other things that need you to be alert. Some people have sleep paralysis, hallucinations, or do things like sleepwalking while taking Dayvigo. Dayvigo may also worsen depression or suicidal thoughts. Do not drink alcohol while taking Dayvigo.

Pregnancy
eszopiclone

It is not known if eszopiclone can harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.

lemborexant

It is not known if Dayvigo can harm your unborn baby. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, talk to your doctor. There is a pregnancy registry for women who take psychiatric medicines, including Dayvigo.

Also Compare — Nearby Drugs

How to Read This eszopiclone vs lemborexant Comparison

eszopiclone is classified in the Non-Benzodiazepine Hypnotic (Z-Drug) drug class, while lemborexant sits within the Orexin Receptor Antagonist class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, eszopiclone has 15,163 submissions while lemborexant has 829. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between eszopiclone and lemborexant — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.