Dayvigo: A New Medication for Insomnia
According to research, insomnia affects about 10% to 30% of the adult population, reaching as high as 50% to 60% in some demographics. An adult requires approximately seven to nine hours of sleep to maintain good physical and mental health. And inadequate rest hampers a person’s productivity at work and their overall quality of life.
There are three major ways to treat or manage sleep disorders: pharmacological, psychotherapy, or their combination. A patient’s treatment plan depends on whether he or she has a temporary or chronic sleep disorder. To prescribe treatment, the clinician also considers the severity of the disorder, and overall health conditions, among other factors.
When it comes to medicines, there are many options available. And while there are drugs that have been used for decades, there are also newer ones that can be more effective for some patients. One of them is Dayvigo medication, commonly used for chronic insomnia, and we will review it in the article below.
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What is Dayvigo
Dayvigo is a new sleep medication with the generic name lemborexant. It is meant for persons above 18 years old. Dayvigo is a controlled substance classified as a schedule IV prescription drug and is an FDA-approved medication.
Dayvigo (lemborexant), similar to Belsomra (suvorexant) and Quviviq (daridorexant), is an orexin receptor antagonist that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. Another benefit of Dayvigo is fewer side effects and its lower risk of abuse and addiction compared to Benzos drugs like Ambien.
How Dayvigo Treats Insomnia
Being an orexin receptor antagonist, Dayvigo acts on the sleep centers in the brain. This new sleeping pill targets the orexin hormone, also known as hypocretin, which is involved in brain arousal. By blocking orexin receptors, this medication slows the thought processes and ability to react fast. However, it does not make one constantly sleepy but helps a person fall asleep fast and sleep for at least seven hours.
Dayvigo Dosage for Insomnia
Dayvigo is an oral sleep aid available in 5 mg and 10 mg tablets. The daily recommended dosage is 5 mg and should be administered right before bedtime. The recommended maximum daily dosage is 10 mg. A clinician may review the dose depending on the response or sleep disorder severity.
Here are some additional recommendations to consider:
- before taking Dayvigo, a patient should ensure to have at least seven hours to sleep before the planned waking time;
- Dayvigo can be taken with, without, or right after a meal;
- Lemborexant may pose a serious risk of addiction to some people, particularly anyone who has or has had a substance abuse disorder.
To prevent severe side effects, a patient should take the medication as instructed by the clinician.
Mild and Severe Side Effects of Dayvigo
Like all medications, Dayvigo has side effects, including mild and severe ones.
Mild Side Effects
- Drowsiness or sleepiness the day after taking the medication
- Headache
- Feelings of anxiety, irritability, or agitation
- Unusual dreams and nightmares
- Lethargy and tiredness
Severe Side Effects
- Allergic reactions
- Heart palpitations
- Sleepwalking
- Eating or driving while asleep
- Muscle weakness
- Confusion or hallucinations
- Inability or trouble to talk or move immediately after waking up
- Strange thought and behavioral patterns
- Depression or suicidal thoughts
- Decreased lung functions
Only a doctor can determine the most effective dosage of the chosen medication for you.
Precautions and Contradictions
Dayvigo has several precautions; hence not a safe treatment for everyone with sleep disorders.
A person should use Dayvigo with precaution in the following cases:
- 65 years and above — the elderly experience more side effects than younger adults.
- Having Severe allergic reactions to Lemborexant or its components.
- Being pregnant since not much is known about the safety and effectiveness of Dayvigo on pregnant mothers and the unborn.
- Breastfeeding as some medication may be passed to the nursing infant.
- Having liver problems as the medication may worsen side effects such as lethargy and drowsiness.
- Having renal problems as the medicine may cause more sleepiness.
Patients with the following conditions should also use Lemborexant with great caution:
- Alcoholism.
- Child-Pugh class A or class B liver impairment.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- Complex sleep behaviors like sleepwalking or eating/driving while asleep.
- Complicated or decreased lung function.
- Depression.
- Sleep apnea.
- Recurrent daytime sleep episodes.
Additionally, this medication should not be used in narcolepsy patients as Dayvigo side effects, such as sleep paralysis and muscle weakness, are similar to narcolepsy symptoms.
Conclusion
Dayvigo drug, also known as Lemborexant, is a new sleep medication for adults. Lemborexant is an FDA-approved drug and a controlled substance classified under Schedule IV. Though an effective insomnia treatment, the medication has some severe side effects, which should be taken into account. Dayvigo may also cause addiction in some people, particularly anyone with a history of addiction. Consult our doctors to know if you need medications to deal with insomnia and what drug will help you best.
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