Individuals battling with chronic insomnia can relieve their sleeping difficulty to a great extent with the help of Zopiclone medications. These are prescription medications, that can serve as an excellent short-term remedy against chronic insomnia, a condition wherein individual struggles to fall asleep and stay asleep at night.
Zopiclone may allow you to fall asleep quickly. One might get a sound sleep without any breaks in their sleep cycle. Note that, these medications do not cure the symptoms of insomnia, they can be used for short-term relief from sleep deprivation. How can you make use of zopiclone to improve your sleep? What is its safe recommended dose? Well, this blog will answer all your queries.
About zopiclone
Zopiclone is the key ingredient that comes under the class of hypnotic drugs that serves as a short-term treatment for severe forms of insomnia. These medications come in the form of tablets that must be orally administered with some water. It takes around an hour for the medicine to become active in your bloodstream and start showing its effects.
The doctor may prescribe these medications to be used for around 2 to 4 weeks only, not more than that. Taking them for more than 4 weeks can affect your body’s natural function and makes it dependent on the medications to fall asleep every night. The medicine is quite addictive, which is why its use is limited to the short term. Its effectiveness persists for around 8 to 9 hours.
Mechanism of action of zopiclone
These medications help in extending the stages in the sleep cycle that indicate deep sleep. The brain is responsible for releasing some chemicals that produce calming effects that help an individual to fall asleep easily. These chemicals increase relaxation which makes it easier to slip into a deep sleep. These natural chemicals that are released by the brain are known as gamma-aminobutyric (GABA).
Zopiclone medications act on the brain function by boosting the effects of GABA chemicals. The effects of zopiclone enhance calmness and relaxation, which makes you drift into a deep slumber. As sleep is made up of multiple sleep cycles, zopiclone extends these sleep cycles, without breaking them, which prevents you from waking up in the middle.
Zopiclone dosage
These drugs come in various doses ranging from low to high, one should take an appropriate dose depending on their tolerance level. It is necessary to get the dose approved by your healthcare provider and follow their guidance on using these medications. To begin with, the doctor may prescribe you a mild dose which is 3.75mg, just to observe its effects on your sleep. The dose can be increased further to 7.5mg.
You have to take a single tablet of Zopiclone daily. Taking it on an empty stomach will enhance its effectiveness. It must be swallowed with some water, without crushing, chewing, or breaking. Follow your doctor’s guidance on the dosing regimen.
Are there any side effects of zopiclone?
Some individuals may experience some common symptoms like a bitter, metallic taste in the mouth, or dry mouth. The effects of the medicine can make you feel sleepy and tired the next day. Moreover, some additional side effects of using these medications include dizziness, rash, confusion, vomiting, headache, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, and constipation.
Effects of withdrawal
After using these medications for a few weeks your body might get used to the effects of medications following which you may struggle a bit while falling asleep without taking them. Compared to other sleep medications, zopiclone does not produce severe symptoms of withdrawal. After stopping its usage, you may experience some withdrawal symptoms such as headache, anxiety, confusion, agitation, depression, muscle pain, body ache, and sleeping difficulties.
If you experience any of these symptoms, then it is better to talk to your healthcare provider. Or it is advisable to discuss the possibility of risks of withdrawal and their prevention even before you stop using the medications, with your healthcare provider. They may ask you to reduce the amount of dose slowly, otherwise, if you stop using it suddenly, then the intensity of withdrawal can be severe.
Some safety precautions
The dose is usually taken during the night-time about an hour before sleep time, so the effects of the medicine run actively in the body to make you lay fast asleep. The medicine remains active for around 10 hours. By the time you get up, the effects of the medicine will be negligible. However, there is still a risk associated with the side effects. The medicinal effects may decrease your alertness and attention. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid driving during the morning, as there is a certain level of risk involved.
The lowdown
A condition like insomnia can hurt your overall health. Not only does it increase the risk of mental illnesses like Alzheimer’s and different types of dementias, but it also potentiates the possibilities of chronic health issues. An individual’s sexual health may also get impacted. Commonly, erectile dysfunction is a top concern among most men.
But it can be managed well with ED medications like Fildena. Moreover, if you want to get relief from chronic insomnia which is the root of all health issues, then you may consider using zopiclone. Although it is for long-term use, it can still help you in alleviating chronic sleeping difficulties. Its short-term use will ensure that you do not develop an addiction to these medications, and hence bounce back to healthy sleep cycles.
