Addicted to sleeping pills: honest help with zopiclone, zolpidem and sleep aids

When you haven’t slept properly for weeks, a tablet that gets you through the night can feel like a lifeline. Zopiclone and zolpidem, often called Z-drugs, are meant for short spells. The NHS says they’re usually prescribed for no more than 4 weeks, and that your body can become used to them or dependent on them. GPs now rarely prescribe sleeping pills for insomnia.

Sleep aids from the pharmacy are different but not risk-free. The NHS says they may contain an antihistamine or herbal ingredients like valerian, may help for 1 to 2 weeks and shouldn’t be taken for longer. If you’re months into needing something every night, you’re far from the only one, and it’s something your GP can help with.

Signs sleeping pills have become a problem

These are some of the signs, based on NHS guidance:

• You’ve been taking them for longer than 4 weeks, or longer than you were told to
• You feel you can’t sleep at all without one
• They seem to work less well than they did
• When you miss one you feel anxious or restless, and your sleep is worse than before
• You’re drowsy the next day, or taking more than the label or prescription says
• You’re getting them from friends or online so you don’t run out

Where to get help in the UK

• Your GP or prescriber. The NHS says to see a doctor if you feel you need zolpidem for longer than 4 weeks, and to ask a doctor or pharmacist for advice about stopping. Your GP can also look at what’s behind the insomnia and may offer CBT.
• Your pharmacist. Free, confidential advice on sleep aids, side effects and how they mix with your other medicines.
• NHS Talking Therapies. If anxiety or low mood is keeping you awake, you can refer yourself for free in England.
• FRANK. Confidential advice on drugs and medicines, 24 hours a day, on 0300 123 6600, or text 82111.
• For family and friends. If you’re worried about someone, Adfam has advice and Addiction Family Support offers a helpline on 0300 888 3853.

Where hypnotherapy fits

Hypnotherapy is not a treatment for dependence on sleeping pills, and I don’t offer it as one. Your GP or prescriber needs to be part of any change to how you take them, and I will never tell you to stop or cut down a medicine.

Where I can help is alongside that care, with the sleep and the anxiety that usually sit underneath. Many people who rely on sleeping pills have come to dread bedtime. Sessions can help you relax your body, quieten a busy mind and feel calmer about the night ahead, and the recording you get afterwards can become part of your bedtime routine. Better sleep habits still take your own effort, but sessions can make them easier to build.

Before we work together I’ll ask whether you’re getting support from your GP or prescriber. If I think you need that first, I’ll tell you honestly.

Things that can help day to day

The NHS says insomnia usually gets better by changing your sleeping habits. These come from its insomnia and sleep advice:

• Keep regular times. Go to bed and get up at around the same time each day, and only go to bed when you feel sleepy.
• Wind down for an hour. Relax for at least an hour before bed, and put your phone away.
• Watch the stimulants. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine for at least 6 hours before bed.
• Move in the day. Regular exercise helps, but not in the 4 hours before bed. Try to avoid daytime naps.
• Speak to your GP, prescriber or pharmacist before you change how you take your pills. Better habits work alongside a plan, not instead of one.

If you also take benzodiazepines for anxiety, or you drink to help you sleep, my pages on benzodiazepines and alcohol may help.

Common questions

Are zopiclone and zolpidem addictive?

They can be. The NHS says it’s possible to become addicted to zopiclone, and that you may become dependent on zolpidem if you take it for longer than 4 weeks. That’s why they’re only prescribed for a short time.

Are over-the-counter sleeping tablets safe to take every night?

The NHS says pharmacy sleep aids won’t fix insomnia, may help you sleep better for 1 to 2 weeks and shouldn’t be taken for longer. They can also make you drowsy the next day. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking anything for your sleep.

Can hypnotherapy help me sleep without pills?

No one can honestly promise that. Hypnotherapy can help you relax and feel calmer about bedtime, alongside the plan you make with your GP or prescriber. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis to use at night.

Is it confidential?

Yes. What you tell me stays between us. As with any therapist, the only exception is if I believed you or someone else were at serious risk of harm.

I’m worried about someone else’s sleeping pill use. What can I do?

Encourage them to talk to their GP or pharmacist, and not to stop suddenly. If they’ve taken sleeping pills with alcohol and you can’t wake them, call 999. Adfam and Addiction Family Support are there for you too.

Talk it through

If you’re already getting support and want help with sleep and anxiety alongside it, book a £49 consultation call. We’ll talk about whether sessions would help with what you’re already doing. You can also see how I work.

Written by Adam Cox, clinical hypnotherapist. This page does not give dosing advice. Sources: NHS, zopiclone; NHS, zolpidem; NHS, insomnia; NHS Every Mind Matters, sleep. Checked October 2026.