Eight things to know about the latest sleeping pill

The newest sleeping pill to hit the local market is suvorexant, a new type of hypnotic with a short track record.

Here are eight things you should know about suvorexant (Belsomra):

• It is the first orexin-receptor antagonist to be marketed in Australia.
• While the drug may be better than placebo, its efficacy compared with other hypnotics is uncertain.
• It is believed to be a better long-term option than benzodiazepines.
• For a hypnotic, suvorexant has a long half-life (12 hours).
• It improves sleep maintenance by