Here’s the conclusion of a new meta-analysis of currently approved “Z drugs” (e.g., Lunesta, Ambien, Sonata) for insomnia:
This study of FDA data shows that Z drugs improve objective and subjective sleep latency compared with placebo, particularly in younger and female patients. The size of this effect, however, is small and needs to be balanced with concerns about adverse effects, tolerance, and potential addiction. The placebo response accounted for about half of the drug response. This suggests that increased attention should be directed at psychological interventions for insomnia.
Psychological interventions include, of course, cognitive behavioral therapy. (That’s a link to a search of this blog on CBT and insomnia. I’ve written a ton on the subjects, including from personal experience.)
