Sleeping pills and minor tranquillisers

Explains what sleeping pills and minor tranquillisers are used for, how the medication works, possible side effects and information about withdrawal.

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What are the different types of benzodiazepines?

Here's an overview of all the benzodiazephines currently licensed in the UK.

Some of these drugs have more than one name. You might know a drug by its generic name or its trade name (see our page about drug names for more information on this).

For detailed information about a particular drug, you can look it up in our Sleeping Pills and Minor Tranquillisers A–Z.

alprazolam
Ativan (see lorazepam)
chlordiazepoxide
Dalmane (flurazepam)
Dialar (see diazepam)
Diazemuls (see diazepam)
diazepam
Diazepam RecTubes (see diazepam)
Dormagen (see lormetazepam)
flurazepam
Librium (see chlordiazepoxide)
loprazolam
lorazepam
lormetazepam
Mogadon (see nitrazepam)
nitrazepam
oxazepam
Rimapam (see diazepam)
Somnite (see nitrazepam)
Stesolid (see diazepam)
temazepam
Tensium (see diazepam)
Valclair (see diazepam)
Xanax (see alprazolam)

What's the difference between them?

The main difference between the different benzodiazepines is the length of time they are active in the body. This is measured by the half-life of each drug.

Short-acting benzodiazepines have a short half-life. This means that the drugs are processed more quickly and leave your body more quickly. Short-acting drugs have a greater risk of withdrawal symptoms because your body has less time to adapt to working without the drug.

Long-acting benzodiazepines have a long half-life. This means that the drugs are processed by your body more slowly and take longer to leave the body. You are more likely to experience a hangover effect but less likely to have withdrawal problems.

Generally speaking, short-acting benzodiazepines are used as sleeping pills and long-acting benzodiazepines are used for anxiety. However, this difference is not clear-cut – drugs for anxiety will help you sleep if you take them at night, and sleeping pills will calm you if you take them during the day.

The different benzodiazepines used for anxiety and sleeping problems are listed in the tables below. All drugs are listed under the generic names, with the trade names in brackets afterwards. All the tablet versions contain lactose.

"Everyone is different and different medications work differently for different people. Lorazepam suited me at the time I was in crisis, and diazepam suits me better in the longer term."

Overview of benzodiazepines mainly used for anxiety

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Long-acting drugs
Generic name	Trade names	Form	Half-life	Dietary considerations
chlordiazepoxide	Librium Tropium	capsules tablets	5–30 hours (36–200 hours*)	contains lactose
diazepam	Dialar Diazemuls Diazepam RecTubes Rimapam Stesolid Tensium Valclair	tablets oral liquid injectable liquid rectal tubes suppositories	20–100 hours (36–200 hours*)	tablets contain lactose
Short-acting drugs
alprazolam	Xanax	tablets	6–12 hours	contains lactose
lorazepam	Ativan	tablets injectable liquid	10–20 hours	tablets contain lactose
oxazepam	none	tablets	4–15 hours	contains lactose

* This refers to the half-life of the active metabolite (the substance the drug turns into) in the body, which has the therapeutic effect.

Overview of benzodiazepines mainly used as sleeping pills

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Long-acting drugs
Generic name	Trade names	Form	Half-life	Dietary considerations
flurazepam	Dalmane	capsules	(40–250 hours*)	contains lactose
nitrazepam	Mogadon	tablets	15–38 hours	contains lactose
Short-acting drugs
loprazolam		tablets	6–12 hours	contains lactose
lormetazepam	Dormagen	tablets	10–12 hours	contains lactose
temazepam		tablets oral liquid	8–22 hours	tablets contain lactose

* This refers to the half-life of the active metabolite (the substance the drug turns into) in the body, which has the therapeutic effect.

Note: flunitrazepam (Rohypnol) and chlorazepate (Tranxene) have been taken off the market in the UK but may still be available through unregulated sources.