Quviviq versus zopiclone and zolpidem

Welcome to the battle of the heavyweight insomnia treatments: Quviviq versus zopiclone and zolpidem! If you’re struggling with insomnia and searching for the best sleep aid, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog, we break down everything you need to know about these two popular sleep medications—Quviviq, the innovative dual orexin receptor antagonist, and zopiclone and zolpidem, the popular ‘Z’ drugs. We compare their effectiveness, side effects, and overall impact on sleep quality, and their effects on your memory, so you can make an informed choice. Read on to discover which option is better to help you drift off into the land of nod.

Quviviq versus zopiclone and zolpidem in under a minute

Don’t have time to read the whole blog? Here’s a quick summary of this article:

Quviviq, also known as daridorexant, takes a unique approach to help you sleep. Instead of lowering overall brain activity—which is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut—researchers focused on turning off just the part of your brain that keeps you awake.

This targeted action reduces wakefulness and helps you fall asleep, all without disturbing your body’s natural sleep cycle. In addition due to its action on a specific area of the brain it has less effects on your cognitive functions, such as memory.

In contrast, the Z drugs, such as, zopiclone and zolpidem, influnence the GABA system and have a wider action on the brain. This means they are associated with more side effects and can even affect your memory.

So, in short we think that the better and safer option for insomnia is Quviviq.

What is insomnia?

All of us have experienced nights where we just can’t seem to drift off, or we wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep.

Insomnia is a sleep disorder where you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. It can lead to feeling tired during the day, difficulty concentrating, and overall reduced quality of life.

Whether it’s caused by stress, medical conditions, or other factors, insomnia disrupts your natural sleep pattern, making it hard to get the restful sleep your body needs.

Insomnia definition

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR) defines insomnia disorder (i.e., clinical insomnia) as difficulty initiating and/or maintaining sleep, or early-morning awakening despite adequate opportunity for sleep; leading to clinically significant distress or impairments in functioning; and with a frequency of 3 or more nights per week and a duration of 3 months or longer [1].

How common is insomnia?

Insomnia is a major public health problem with a high prevalence (approximately 12–20%) [2]. It can lead to many problems like depression, alcohol dependence, high blood pressure, heart disease, and even early death [3]. Insomnia also causes daytime tiredness, irritability, poor concentration, and lower work performance [4].

Many people use medications to help with insomnia. For example, in the United States, prescriptions for insomnia rose from 5.3 million in 1999 to 20.8 million in 2010 [5], while and in China, people use about 339 million sleep pills every year—with zolpidem being the most popular [6].

Insomnia and your brain

Sleep loss can affect how your brain works, changing your alertness, attention, memory, and decision-making skills.

Cognition is how the brain takes in information and turns it into thoughts. Many worry that sleep medications might harm thinking, leading to issues like poor concentration and memory problems [7].

Since sleep and cognitive function are closely connected, a good sleep aid should improve sleep quality without causing side effects or disturbing your natural sleep pattern.

What is Quviviq?

Quviviq is the new drug used to treat insomnia and works in a unique way to help you drift off to sleep. While other sleeping tablets depress your brain activity by promoting the effects of the neurotransmitter , GABA with widepsread depression of brain activity, Quviviq or daridorexant, focuses on the switch in your brain that keeps you awake. By turning this switch off, the signal that your brain receives to stay awake is gone and so you fall asleep. Sounds simple and intuitive but it took a lot of time to reach this scientific discovery.

What is a DORA?

You may not know that Quviviq has a number of different names associated with it. Quviviq is the brand name for the generic drug, daridorexant. While daridorexant belongs to a family of drugs known as the DORAs, or the Dual Orexin Receptor Antagonists.

DORAs are a new type of sleep medicine that helps people fall asleep and stay asleep by blocking orexin, the chemical that keeps you awake. Although animal studies have shown that low doses of DORA might even slightly boost thinking, there haven’t been enough clinical studies to confirm its effects on cognitive function in people.

How does Quviviq work?

Quviviq, also known as daridorexant, is a new and powerful sleep drug approved for adults with insomnia. It works by blocking orexin receptors (OX1R and OX2R) in the brain that normally help keep you awake [8].

Imagine these receptors as locks and the natural chemical orexin as the key. Under normal conditions, orexin fits into these locks, opening the door to wakefulness. Daridorexant prevents orexin from unlocking these receptors, which means the door to staying awake stays closed. This makes it easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Studies have shown that daridorexant not only improves sleep at night but also boosts daytime performance.

How different doses of DORAs, such as Quviviq affects sleep?

A 2023 meta-analysis was the first study to examine how different doses of DORA affect the brain. The study found that DORAs such as Quviviq or daridorexant did not damage the sleep structure and when compared to a placebo had a lower incidence of side effects, such as headache, lethargy and fatigue. Subjects also reported feeling waking up refreshed in the morning and suffered no damage to daytime function or memory performance [6].

For comparison, while a low dose of zolpidem helps people fall asleep faster and sleep longer, it can impair memory and alertness the next day, which may raise the risk of car accidents [6].

Quviviq and memory

Research shows that orexin affects the hippocampus, a key brain area for learning and memory. This means that by using DORA treatments, such as Quviviq, which block orexin, we might be able to improve early signs of thinking and memory problems in people with insomnia [9].

Quviviq the perfect insomnia treatment?

In a 2023 study four common sleep drugs were tested at low, medium, and high doses. Their effects on sleep quality, thinking, and side effects were compared to help guide their proper use.

Over the years, DORAs have become a very effective type of sleep medication. They work by blocking the signals from orexin—a chemical that keeps you awake—in people with insomnia. An ideal sleep aid helps you fall asleep quickly, keeps you asleep throughout the night, and leaves you feeling refreshed in the morning.

DORA medications not only improve sleep but also help clear out waste from your body and boost the flow of important fluids in your brain. Studies show that DORAs are safe and don’t cause serious side effects, rebound insomnia, or withdrawal problems.

Orexin also plays a role in learning and memory by sending signals to parts of the brain like the hippocampus. This means that DORAs, like Quviviq, might even help improve early memory issues in people with insomnia.

The z drugs, zopiclone and zolpidem

Other sleep medications, called non-benzodiazepines—such as zolpidem, zopiclone, and eszopiclone—are less addictive and cause fewer problems with muscles and memory compared to older benzodiazepines [12].

Zolpidem and eszopiclone work mainly on sleep receptors, so they are less likely to interfere with natural sleep patterns or leave you drowsy the next day. However, zolpidem isn’t very good at protecting memory, and there isn’t a clear standard for measuring how these drugs affect thinking [13].

The side effects of zolpidem and zopiclone

Zolpidem can cause minor issues like tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal symptoms. When combined with other drugs that slow the brain, it can even lead to serious breathing problems [14].

Zolpidem is suitable for occasional and temporary insomnia, since it is associated with common side effects such as:

• Hallucinations,
• Excitement,
• Nightmares, and
• Depressions.

In contrast, zopiclone and eszopiclone—representing a newer generation of sleep aids—help people fall asleep quickly and maintain deep sleep for up to 6 hours [15], with few side effects and without causing rebound insomnia when stopped [16].

The newer version, dexzopiclone, is twice as strong as zopiclone but is less toxic. In terms of addiction risk, benzodiazepines are the highest, followed by zopiclone, and then zolpidem.

Summary, which is better Quviviq or the z drugs?

If we peer into our crystal ball we might see a future where DORAs, such as Quviviq, might be used not only to treat insomnia but also to protect the brain.

It works by reducing the activity of the orexin system [17], which can help manage sleep problems and may slow down brain degeneration and memory decline [18]. In short, taking DORA could offer a new way to treat mild to moderate insomnia by improving sleep and boosting brain function.

When choosing between the DORA, Quviviq and the z drugs, zopiclone and zolpidem, we would recommend Quviviq. We think it’s the better option for insomnia because it helps you fall asleep and stay asleep without hurting your thinking. While the z drugs such as zopiclone and zolpidem is very effective at keeping you asleep, they has more side effects, and may impact your memory.

Can you buy Quviviq online in the UK?

Yes, you can buy Quviviq 50mg and Quviviq 25mg online in the UK after filling out a short health questionnaire at medicalmojo.co.uk. This online consultation helps ensure that Quviviq is safe for you.

If you want more details about Quviviq or other insomnia treatments, email us at info@medicalmojo.co.uk or call 02381 575 111.

Need more help with sleep issues?

Struggling to get a good night’s sleep? Not sure which treatment is right for you? Medical Mojo is here to help with a FREE sleep consultation. We’ll guide you on the best ways to improve your sleep, whether that’s through melatonin, Quviviq, or personalised sleep coaching. Let us help you find the perfect solution for better sleep.

Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional

References

1. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th ed., text revision (DSM-5-TR). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2022.
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3. Ge, L., Guyatt, G., Tian, J., Pan, B., Chang, Y., Chen, Y., Li, H., Zhang, J., Li, Y., Ling, J. and Yang, K., 2019. Insomnia and risk of mortality from all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Sleep medicine reviews, 48, p.101215.
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5. Ford, E.S., Wheaton, A.G., Cunningham, T.J., Giles, W.H., Chapman, D.P. and Croft, J.B., 2014. Trends in outpatient visits for insomnia, sleep apnea, and prescriptions for sleep medications among US adults: findings from the National Ambulatory Medical Care survey 1999-2010. Sleep, 37(8), pp.1283-1293.
6. Zhou, M., Tang, J., Li, S., Li, Y. and Zhao, M., 2023. Orexin dual receptor antagonists, zolpidem, zopiclone, eszopiclone, and cognitive research: A comprehensive dose-response meta-analysis. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 16, p.1029554.
7. Picton, J.D., Marino, A.B. and Nealy, K.L., 2018. Benzodiazepine use and cognitive decline in the elderly. The Bulletin of the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists, 75(1), pp.e6-e12.
8. Jiang, F., Li, H., Chen, Y., Lu, H., Ni, J. and Chen, G., 2023. Daridorexant for the treatment of insomnia disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Medicine, 102(7), p.e32754.
9. Kukkonen, J.P., 2017. Orexin/hypocretin signaling. Behavioral Neuroscience of Orexin/Hypocretin, pp.17-50.
10. Zhang, Y., Su, J., Wang, J., Tang, G., Hu, W., Mao, J., Ren, W., Liu, Y. and Yu, Z., 2018. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia combined with eszopiclone for the treatment of sleep disorder patients transferred out of the intensive care unit: a single-centred retrospective observational study. Medicine, 97(37), p.e12383.
11. Jiang, F., Li, H., Chen, Y., Lu, H., Ni, J. and Chen, G., 2023. Daridorexant for the treatment of insomnia disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Medicine, 102(7), p.e32754.
12. Nielsen, S., 2017. Benzodiazepines. Non-medical and illicit use of psychoactive drugs, pp.141-159.
13. Holm, K.J. and Goa, K.L., 2000. Zolpidem: an update of its pharmacology, therapeutic efficacy and tolerability in the treatment of insomnia. Drugs, 59, pp.865-889.
14. Castro, L.S., Otuyama, L.J., Fumo-dos-Santos, C., Tufik, S. and Poyares, D., 2019. Sublingual and oral zolpidem for insomnia disorder: a 3-month randomized trial. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry, 42(2), pp.175-184.
15. Terzano, M.G., Rossi, M., Palomba, V., Smerieri, A. and Parrino, L., 2003. New drugs for insomnia: comparative tolerability of zopiclone, zolpidem and zaleplon. Drug safety, 26, pp.261-282.
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