eszopiclone vs temazepam
Side-by-side comparison of eszopiclone and temazepam Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Lunesta
Restoril
Eszopiclone (Lunesta) is a medicine that helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. It is used to treat insomnia.
Temazepam is a medicine that helps you sleep. It is used for a short time to treat insomnia.
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.
Temazepam capsules are used to treat insomnia. Insomnia means you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. This medicine is only for short-term use, usually for 7 to 10 days.
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.
Temazepam belongs to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines. It works by slowing down activity in the brain. This helps you to relax and fall asleep.
- • Unpleasant taste
- • Headache
- • Feeling sleepy
- • Respiratory infection
- • Dizziness
- • Drowsiness
- • Headache
- • Fatigue
- • Nervousness
- • Lethargy
- 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
- Tiredness 2,806
- Medicine not working 2,415
- Feeling sick to your stomach 2,403
- Discomfort 2,274
- Head pain 2,237
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.
Taking temazepam with opioid medicines can cause very serious problems, including slowed breathing, coma, and death. Only take them together if there are no other options. Temazepam can be misused or lead to addiction, which can result in overdose or death. Using temazepam for a long time can cause you to become dependent on it. Stopping it suddenly can cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor will slowly lower your dose to prevent withdrawal.
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.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if temazepam will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
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How to Read This eszopiclone vs temazepam Comparison
eszopiclone is classified in the Non-Benzodiazepine Hypnotic (Z-Drug) drug class, while temazepam sits within the Benzodiazepine (Hypnotic) 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 temazepam has 12,135. 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 temazepam — 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.