Benzodiazepines & Z-drugs
Temazepam
A benzodiazepine used for the short-term treatment of insomnia, helping people who are having serious trouble sleeping.
What is Temazepam?
Temazepam is a benzodiazepine used for the short-term treatment of severe insomnia. It helps you fall asleep and stay asleep but is meant only for brief use, because regular use can cause tolerance and dependence. It causes drowsiness, must not be mixed with alcohol, and should not be stopped suddenly after regular use.
Education and reference only. This is a plain-language guide to Temazepam — it deliberately contains no doses. Doses depend on the person, the brand and the reason for treatment, and belong with your prescriber. Always check the BNF, the product labelling (SmPC) and follow medical advice.
What it is
Temazepam is a benzodiazepine licensed in the UK for the short-term treatment of insomnia that is severe, disabling or causing extreme distress. It is not intended for ongoing nightly use, because the body becomes used to it and it can lose effect and cause dependence. For most people, sleep problems are better managed with good sleep habits and, where needed, talking therapy; temazepam is reserved for short courses.
How it works
Temazepam boosts the action of GABA, the brain's main calming chemical messenger. By strengthening this calming signal it reduces the time taken to fall asleep and helps maintain sleep. The same sedating action is why it can leave some people feeling drowsy the next day and why it must not be combined with alcohol or other sedatives.
What it treats
Conditions Temazepam is used for
Practical use
How to take Temazepam
General, dose-free guidance — always follow your prescriber's and the leaflet's specific instructions.
- Take it shortly before going to bed, when you can devote a full night to sleep.
- Use it only for the short course your prescriber recommends.
- Avoid alcohol while taking it.
- Do not drive or operate machinery if you feel drowsy or slowed, including the next morning.
- Do not stop suddenly after regular use; ask about reducing it gradually.
- If you miss a dose, simply skip it; do not take it later in the night when sleep time is short.
Weighing it up
Advantages & disadvantages of Temazepam
Advantages
- Helps people fall asleep and stay asleep during a short, difficult period.
- Well-established medicine with a predictable sedating effect.
- Useful when poor sleep is causing significant distress in the short term.
Disadvantages
- Risk of tolerance and dependence, so it is for short-term use only.
- Can cause next-day drowsiness, affecting driving and concentration.
- Stopping suddenly after regular use can cause rebound insomnia and withdrawal.
- Must not be combined with alcohol or other sedating medicines.
- Does not address the underlying causes of poor sleep.
Practical use
Good to know
Temazepam is for short-term use only. Taken regularly it can cause tolerance and dependence, and stopping suddenly after regular use can trigger withdrawal, including rebound insomnia and, in some cases, seizures, so it should be reduced gradually rather than stopped abruptly. It is taken shortly before bed when you can get a full night's sleep, and you should not drive or use machinery if you feel drowsy. Avoid alcohol while taking it.
Who should not take it / use with caution
- People with a known allergy to temazepam or other benzodiazepines.
- People with severe breathing problems or severe sleep apnoea.
- People with myasthenia gravis.
- Use with caution in older people, who are more prone to drowsiness, confusion and falls, and in those with a history of dependence.
Monitoring
- Review of whether it is still needed, to keep courses short.
- Watching for tolerance or dependence.
- Particular care in older people because of falls and confusion.
Side effects
- Daytime drowsiness, tiredness and slowed reactions.
- Unsteadiness and risk of falls, particularly in older people.
- Confusion or memory problems.
- Headache or a hungover feeling the next day.
- Dependence and rebound insomnia with regular or prolonged use.
Key interactions
- Alcohol, which dangerously increases sedation.
- Opioid painkillers, which combined with benzodiazepines can slow breathing dangerously.
- Other sedating medicines, including some antihistamines and antidepressants.
- Tell your pharmacist or prescriber about everything you take, including over-the-counter products.
Available as: Tablets, and a liquid (oral solution) for those who cannot swallow tablets.
Answers
Temazepam: frequently asked questions
Is temazepam addictive?
It can be. Regular use can lead to tolerance and dependence, which is why temazepam is prescribed only for short courses and should be reduced gradually rather than stopped suddenly after regular use.
Will temazepam make me drowsy the next day?
It can. Some people feel drowsy, slowed or hungover the following morning. If this happens, do not drive or operate machinery and tell your prescriber.
Can I drink alcohol with temazepam?
No. Alcohol and temazepam both depress the nervous system, and together they can cause heavy sedation and breathing problems, so you should avoid alcohol while taking it.
How long can I take temazepam?
It is licensed for short-term use only, typically a brief course, because of the risk of dependence and loss of effect. Your prescriber will advise the shortest helpful course and how to stop safely.
What happens if I stop temazepam suddenly?
After regular use, stopping suddenly can cause rebound insomnia and withdrawal symptoms, and in some cases seizures. It should be reduced gradually under your prescriber's guidance.
The wider class
About Benzodiazepines & Z-drugs
Temazepam belongs to the benzodiazepines & z-drugs class. For how the class as a whole works, its shared safety principles and monitoring, see the full guide.
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Authoritative sources
- BNF: Temazepam.
- NICE CKS: Temazepam.
- electronic Medicines Compendium (SmPC): Temazepam.
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