Sonata (Zaleplon) Oral: Uses, Side Effects, Dosages - Verywell Health
What Is Sonata?
Sonata (zaleplon) is a controlled prescription medication option for the short-term treatment of insomnia (sleeping troubles).
It is a nonbenzodiazepine sedative-hypnotic that is thought to work by attaching to certain receptor sites to slow activity in the brain.
A receptor is a binding site. A receptor complex is a binding site with accessory proteins. Sonata attaches to gamma-aminobutyric acid-benzodiazepine (GABA-BZ), a binding site with accessory proteins. Sonata also attaches to the omega-1 receptor, a binding site that sits on the GABAA/chloride ion channel receptor complex. The GABAA/chloride ion channel receptor complex is another binding site with accessory proteins.
Sonata is available in capsule form.
Drug Facts
Generic Name: Zaleplon
Brand Name(s): Sonata
Administration Route: Oral
Drug Availability: Prescription
Therapeutic Classification: Nonbarbiturate hypnotic
Available Generically: Yes
Controlled Substance: N/A
Active Ingredient: Zaleplon
Dosage Form(s): Capsule
What Is Sonata Used For?
Sonata is a short-term treatment to help adults who have trouble falling asleep. However, it does not allow you to stay asleep longer or reduce the number of times you wake up throughout the night–other common insomnia symptoms.
Adults usually need seven hours of sleep every night for good health. However, a third of adults in the United States tend to get less than this recommended amount of sleep. Not getting enough sleep is connected to many other medical conditions, including depression, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
Sonata can be habit-forming and is categorized as a Schedule IV controlled substance. This means it can be abused or lead to dependence. However, it is not as habit-forming as scheduled I through III controlled substances.
How to Take Sonata
Take Sonata once nightly, right before bedtime. If you don't take your medication right before bedtime, you can also take it after you tried to go to bed but have trouble falling asleep. Don't take Sonata with or after eating a heavy and high-fat meal.
Sonata will make you feel very sleepy, so plan to go to bed right away and stay in bed for seven to eight hours after you take it.
Storage
Since Sonata is a controlled prescription, your healthcare provider may only give you a limited number of refills from the originally written date. You and your healthcare provider may need to be in regular contact to provide the pharmacy with a new Sonata prescription.
After picking up Sonata from the pharmacy, store the medication at room temperature, which is between 68 degrees to 77 degrees Fahrenheit (F). Protect Sonata from light by keeping it in a light-resistant container. Since Sonata is a controlled prescription, place it in a locked cabinet or a similar safe place.
Before traveling, take time to become familiar with the regulations of your final destination. Some countries may require that your healthcare provider document the medical necessity of Sonata on a letter with an official letterhead. Also, make a copy of your Sonata prescription and keep the medication in its original container—with your name on it—from the pharmacy.
How Long Does Sonata Take to Work?
People taking Sonata fell asleep 10 to 20 minutes faster than people who didn't take the medication.
What Are the Side Effects of Sonata?
Similar to many medications, side effects are possible with Sonata.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. A healthcare provider can advise you on side effects. If you experience other effects, contact your pharmacist or a healthcare provider. You may report side effects to the FDA at fda.gov/medwatch or 1-800-FDA-1088.
Common Side Effects
Common side effects with Sonata may include:
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Lightheadedness
- Muscle movement difficulties
- Pins and needles feeling on skin
You may also develop withdrawal symptoms after you stop taking Sonata, which can include:
- Unpleasant feelings
- Stomach and muscle cramps
- Vomiting
- Sweating
- Shakiness
- Seizures
- Trouble sleeping
Severe Side Effects
Seek medical attention if you experience the following serious side effects:
Long-Term Side Effects
This medication is not meant to be used long-term. Sonata's prescribing information recommends talking with your healthcare provider if your insomnia isn't better or worsens within seven to 10 days. However, the medication has been used for up to five weeks in the clinical trials that support Sonata's effectiveness.
Report Side Effects
Sonata may cause other side effects. Call your healthcare provider if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your healthcare provider may send a report to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program or by phone (800-332-1088).
Dosage: How Much Sonata Should I Take?
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
- For oral dosage form (capsules):
- For the treatment of insomnia:
- Adults—5 or 10 milligrams (mg) once a day at bedtime. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed and tolerated. However, do not take more than 20 mg per day.
- Older adults—5 mg once a day at bedtime.
- Children—Use and dose must be determined by doctor.
- For the treatment of insomnia:
Modifications
Sonata is available in 5-milligrams and 10-milligram capsules.
Pregnancy or Breastfeeding
There is little effectiveness or safety data on Sonata in pregnant people. The manufacturer—Wyeth Pharmaceuticals—doesn't recommend Sonata use during pregnancy.
The low amount of Sonata present in human breast milk is unlikely to cause negative effects in older nursing babies. However, the manufacturer doesn't recommend breastfeeding while using Sonata due to limited effectiveness or safety data on Sonata in nursing babies.
People With Liver Concerns
Liver function may affect dosing. If you have mild to moderate liver impairment, you may be prescribed a Sonata dose of 5 milligrams nightly. If you have severe liver impairment, the manufacturer recommends avoiding Sonata altogether.
People With Depression
If you have depression, you may be given the lowest, most effective dose of Sonata.
People With Lung Conditions
Since Sonata may slow down your breathing, the manufacturer recommends close monitoring for people with lung conditions.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of Sonata, you might experience sleeping difficulties that usually disappear after one night.
If you have taken high doses of Sonata for long periods, talk with your healthcare provider. Suddenly stopping Sonata might lead to discontinuation (withdrawal) symptoms that may include:
- Muscle cramps
- Profound sense of unhappiness
- Seizures
- Sleeping troubles
- Stomach upset
- Sweating
- Tremors
- Vomiting
Overdose: What Happens If I Take Too Much Sonata?
If you accidentally took too many Sonata capsules, immediately seek medical attention or call a poison control center. Symptoms of an overdose may include:
- Coma
- Confusion
- Drowsiness
- Low blood pressure
- Muscle weakness
- Problems with muscle movement and walking
- Slow breathing rate
- Tiredness
What Happens If I Overdose on Sonata?
If you think you or someone else may have overdosed on Sonata, call a healthcare provider or the Poison Control Center (800-222-1222).
If someone collapses, has a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't wake up after taking too much Sonata, call 911 immediately.
Precautions
It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects.
If you think you need to take zaleplon for more than 7 to 10 days, be sure to discuss it with your doctor. Insomnia that lasts longer than this may be a sign of another medical problem.
Zaleplon may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis and angioedema, which can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, hives, trouble breathing or swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, mouth, or throat while you are using this medicine.
This medicine will add to the effects of alcohol and other central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicines that make you drowsy or less alert). Some examples of CNS depressants are antihistamines or medicine for hay fever, other allergies or colds, sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medicines, prescription pain medicine or narcotics, medicine for seizures or barbiturates, muscle relaxants, or anesthetics, including some dental anesthetics. Check with your doctor before taking any of the above while you are using this medicine.
This medicine may cause some people, especially older persons, to become drowsy, dizzy, lightheaded, clumsy or unsteady, or less alert than they are normally, which may lead to falls. Even though zaleplon is taken at bedtime, it may cause some people to feel drowsy or less alert on arising. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you.
If you develop any unusual and strange thoughts or behavior while using zaleplon, be sure to discuss it with your doctor. Some changes that have occurred in people using this medicine are like those seen in people who drink alcohol and then act in a manner that is not normal. Other changes may be more unusual and extreme, such as confusion, hallucinations (seeing, hearing, smelling, or feeling things that are not there), and unusual excitement, nervousness, or irritability.
This medicine may cause you to do things while you are still asleep that you may not remember the next morning. It is possible you could drive a car, sleepwalk, have sex, make phone calls, or prepare and eat food while you are asleep or not fully awake. Tell your doctor right away if you learn that any of these has happened.
Do not change your dose or stop using it without first checking with your doctor. Your doctor may want you to gradually reduce the amount you are using before stopping completely. Stopping this medicine suddenly may cause withdrawal side effects.
After taking zaleplon for insomnia, you may have difficulty sleeping (rebound insomnia) for the first few nights after you stop taking it.
If you think you or someone else may have taken an overdose of this medicine, get emergency help at once. Taking an overdose of zaleplon or taking alcohol or other CNS depressants with zaleplon may lead to breathing problems and unconsciousness. Some signs of an overdose include: clumsiness or unsteadiness, confusion, severe drowsiness, low blood pressure, unusual dullness or feeling sluggish, and troubled breathing.
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.
What Are Reasons I Shouldn't Take Sonata?
Avoid Sonata if any of the following applies to you.
- Alcohol use
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Prior history of a severe allergic reaction to Sonata or other ingredients in this medication
- Prior history of complicated sleep behaviors—like sleep-driving—with Sonata
- Severe liver impairment
What Other Medications Interact With Sonata?
In addition to alcohol, due to drug interactions, take the following medications with caution.
- Aldehyde oxidase-inhibiting medications: Aldehyde oxidase is a protein in the liver that helps break down Sonata. If you take a medication—like Benadryl (diphenhydramine)—that prevents aldehyde oxidase from working as effectively, you might have a higher risk of side effects.
- CYP3A4-influencing medications: CYP3A4 is another protein in the liver that helps break down Sonata. If you take a drug that prevents CYP3A4 from working as effectively, then you are at a higher risk of side effects. If you take a medication that encourages CYP3A4 to break down Sonata quickly, then low amounts of Sonata will not be as effective.
- Sleep-inducing medications: Sonata has a common side effect of drowsiness and a serious side effect of abnormal behavior and thoughts. Sleep-inducing medications might worsen these side effects.
If you have any questions or concerns about these drug interactions, consider talking with your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
What Medications Are Similar?
In addition to Sonata, other sleep medications may include:
Since these medications are used to treat insomnia, they are not usually taken together. If you have any questions, please discuss them with your healthcare provider.
The choice of sleep medication is dependent on the following factors.
- Do you have trouble falling asleep?
- Do you have trouble staying asleep?
- Do you have trouble falling and staying asleep?
If you have trouble falling asleep, then Sonata is one of the possible options.
How Can I Stay Healthy While Taking Sonata?
Experts recommend sleep hygiene. Although Sonata may help you fall asleep, consider the following to help you get a better night's sleep and not ruin your sleep:
- Have a scheduled time for going to bed and waking up.
- Avoid eating large meals before bedtime.
- Don't drink coffee or alcohol before bedtime.
- Avoid intense exercise right before bedtime.
- Avoid smoking before bedtime.
- Use your bed for only sleep.
- Don't read or watch TV in bed.
- Don't sleep in an uncomfortable environment that is too cold, too warm, or too loud.
Medical Disclaimer
Verywell Health's drug information is meant for educational purposes only and not intended as a replacement for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a healthcare provider. Consult your healthcare provider before taking any new medication(s). IBM Watson Micromedex provides some of the drug content, as indicated on the page.
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