If you've spent months lying awake at 3am, you'll know insomnia affects your mood, work and relationships. GPs have long been wary of sleeping pills because of side effects and the risk of dependence. Daridorexant is a newer medicine that works differently. Here's what it is, who can get it, and what the evidence shows.
What is daridorexant?
Daridorexant, brand name Quviviq, is a prescription tablet for adults with long-term insomnia, meaning sleep problems lasting 3 months or more.
The black triangle (▼) next to its name means it's a newer medicine being closely monitored. Anyone can report side effects through the Yellow Card scheme.
How does it work?
Your brain makes a chemical called orexin. Think of it as a "stay awake" messenger. It presses on tiny switches in your brain (called receptors) that keep you alert.
Daridorexant sits on those switches so orexin can't press them. The "stay awake" message gets quieter and natural sleep can take over. Many older sleeping pills work more like a general sedative.
How daridorexant turns down the brain's wake signal (simplified).
Where is it approved?
Medicines regulators check that a medicine's benefits outweigh its risks before it can be sold. Approval doesn't automatically mean it's free on a public health service.
| Country or region | Approved by | When |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Food and Drug Administration (FDA) | January 2022 |
| European Union | European Commission, advised by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) | April 2022 |
| Great Britain | Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) | August 2022 |
| Switzerland | Swissmedic | December 2022 |
| Canada | Health Canada | April 2023 |
| Japan | Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) | September 2024 |
| China | National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) | June 2025 |
Can I get it on the NHS?
Yes, in some cases. In 2023, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which advises the NHS in England and Wales, recommended daridorexant for adults who:
- have trouble sleeping on 3 or more nights a week
- have had symptoms for at least 3 months
- find it seriously affects how they cope during the day
- have tried cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBTi) without success, or can't access it, or it isn't suitable for them
In Scotland, the Scottish Medicines Consortium accepted it with similar restrictions in April 2024.
Key insight
Talking therapy (CBTi) is still the first treatment for long-term insomnia. It teaches practical ways to reset sleep habits. NICE has also recommended a digital CBTi programme called Sleepio, so ask your GP what's available locally.
Access to CBTi varies, and app-based courses don't suit everyone, including some disabled people and those without reliable internet. If CBTi isn't available or suitable for you, you can still be considered for daridorexant.
How do I take it?
| Topic | What the leaflet says |
|---|---|
| Usual dose | One 50mg tablet a night. People with some liver problems, or who take certain other medicines, may be prescribed 25mg. |
| When | In the half hour before going to bed, once a night. |
| Food | Taking it soon after a large meal may make it slower to help you fall asleep. |
| Grapefruit | Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice in the evening. They may raise the amount of medicine in your blood. |
| Alcohol | Avoid it. Together they can affect your balance and coordination. |
| Driving | Leave about 9 hours between taking it and driving or using machines. |
How well does it work?
The main evidence comes from two large studies of more than 1,800 adults, around 4 in 10 of them aged 65 or over. In the study that tested the usual 50mg dose, here's how people compared with those taking a dummy tablet (placebo) after 3 months:
| What was measured | Difference compared with placebo |
|---|---|
| Time awake during the night | About 18 minutes less |
| Time taken to fall asleep | About 12 minutes quicker |
| Total sleep (as reported by participants) | About 20 minutes more |
| Feeling sleepy during the day | Improved |
Key insight
These are real but modest gains: roughly 20 minutes of extra sleep a night on average. It isn't a cure, and some people will benefit more than others. That's why NICE says your doctor should check within 3 months whether it's helping, and stop it if it isn't.
Side effects
| How often | Side effects |
|---|---|
| Common (up to 1 in 10 people) | Headache, excessive sleepiness, dizziness, tiredness, feeling sick |
| Uncommon (up to 1 in 100 people) | Sleep paralysis (being temporarily unable to move or talk), seeing or hearing vivid or disturbing things that aren't real, abnormal dreams or nightmares, sleepwalking, allergic reactions such as a rash |
In the studies, there was no evidence of withdrawal symptoms or physical dependence when people stopped taking it, and the leaflet says it can be stopped without gradually reducing the dose. Always talk to your prescriber first.
Who shouldn't take it?
- People with narcolepsy (a condition where you suddenly fall asleep during the day).
- People taking certain strong medicines, including some antibiotics, antifungals and HIV treatments. Your pharmacist can check.
- Extra care is needed if you're over 75 or have liver problems. If you're pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor first.
Questions to ask your GP
- Is CBTi or Sleepio available to me?
- Could pain, low mood or another medicine be affecting my sleep?
- Is it safe with my other medicines, and when will we review it?
Where to find out more
| Organisation | What you'll find |
|---|---|
| NHS | Insomnia: causes, self-help tips and when to see a GP |
| NICE | Who can get daridorexant on the NHS in England and Wales |
| Scottish Medicines Consortium | Plain-English summary of the decision in Scotland |
| electronic medicines compendium (emc) | The official patient leaflet for Quviviq |
| European Medicines Agency | Medicine overview written for the public |
| MHRA Yellow Card | Report a suspected side effect |
| The Sleep Charity | National Sleep Helpline (03303 530 541) and practical sleep advice |
| Mind | How sleep and mental health affect each other |
References
All Wales Therapeutics and Toxicology Centre (2022) daridorexant (Quviviq®). Available at: https://awttc.nhs.wales/accessing-medicines/medicine-recommendations/daridorexant-quviviq/ (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
European Medicines Agency (2022) Quviviq: EPAR. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/quviviq (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
Idorsia Pharmaceuticals (2022a) Idorsia receives US FDA approval of QUVIVIQ (daridorexant) 25 and 50 mg for the treatment of adults with insomnia. GlobeNewswire, 10 January. Available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/01/10/2363527/0/en/Idorsia-receives-US-FDA-approval-of-QUVIVIQ-daridorexant-25-and-50-mg-for-the-treatment-of-adults-with-insomnia.html (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
Idorsia Pharmaceuticals (2022b) Swissmedic approves QUVIVIQ (daridorexant). GlobeNewswire, 5 December. Available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/12/05/2567025/0/en/Swissmedic-approves-QUVIVIQ-daridorexant-a-first-in-class-treatment-for-chronic-insomnia-disorder-to-improve-both-nighttime-symptoms-and-daytime-functioning.html (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
Idorsia Pharmaceuticals (2023) Health Canada approves QUVIVIQ (daridorexant). GlobeNewswire, 3 May. Available at: https://ml-eu.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/60a1e161-50b1-4b22-8276-9be35d87ad1a (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
Idorsia Pharmaceuticals (2025) QUVIVIQ 50 mg film-coated tablets: Summary of Product Characteristics. electronic medicines compendium (emc). Available at: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/15360/smpc (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
Idorsia Pharmaceuticals (2026) QUVIVIQ 50 mg film-coated tablets: Patient Information Leaflet. electronic medicines compendium (emc). Available at: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/15360/pil (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (2022) Public Assessment Report: QUVIVIQ 25 mg and 50 mg film-coated tablets. Available at: https://mhraproducts4853.blob.core.windows.net/docs/ed2aeb19a5f58327b069031bc07c8f3a3ad2dec2 (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (n.d.) Yellow Card: making medicines and medical devices safer. Available at: https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/ (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
Mignot, E. et al. (2022) 'Safety and efficacy of daridorexant in patients with insomnia disorder: results from two multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trials', The Lancet Neurology, 21(2), pp. 125–139. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(21)00436-1 (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
Mind (n.d.) How sleep can affect mental health. Available at: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/sleep-problems/about-sleep-and-mental-health/ (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2022) Sleepio to treat insomnia and insomnia symptoms (MTG70). Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/mtg70 (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2023a) Daridorexant for treating long-term insomnia (TA922). Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta922/chapter/1-Recommendations (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2023b) Daridorexant for treating long-term insomnia: information for the public. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta922/informationforpublic (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
NHS (n.d.) Insomnia. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/insomnia/ (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
Nxera Pharma (2024) Nxera Pharma receives approval of QUVIVIQ (daridorexant) 25 and 50 mg in Japan for the treatment of insomnia. BioSpace. Available at: https://www.biospace.com/press-releases/nxera-pharma-receives-approval-of-quviviq-daridorexant-25-and-50-mg-in-japan-for-the-treatment-of-insomnia (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
Scottish Medicines Consortium (2024) Medicine: daridorexant (brand name: Quviviq®) – public summary. Available at: https://scottishmedicines.org.uk/medicines-advice/daridorexant-quviviq-full-smc2611/public-summary/ (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
Simcere Pharmaceutical (2025) QUVIVIQ®: the world's new generation anti-insomnia drug. Available at: https://www.simcere.com/en/news/detail.aspx?mtt=1511 (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
The Sleep Charity (n.d.a) Insomnia. Available at: https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/adults/sleep-disorders/insomnia/ (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
The Sleep Charity (n.d.b) National Sleep Helpline. Available at: https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/national-sleep-helpline/ (Accessed: 4 October 2026).
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Important medical disclaimer
The content provided in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your GP, psychiatrist or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Never start, stop or change a prescribed medicine without speaking to your prescriber first.
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