Sleep troubles hit millions across the UK, leaving plenty of people hunting for something—anything—that helps them finally get some rest. When insomnia gets out of hand, doctors often reach for a group of medications called Z-drugs to give short-term relief.

Z-drugs aren’t like the older sleeping pills; they’re non-benzodiazepine hypnotics, and two of the most common in the UK are zolpidem and zopiclone. Doctors prescribe these to treat severe insomnia and to help people drop off to sleep faster.

These medications work differently from the old-school sleeping tablets. They were designed to be safer, but still actually help with sleep problems.

Zolpidem and zopiclone sit in the same family of sleep meds, though each one brings its own quirks to the table. Some folks find one works better for them than the other, depending on the kind of insomnia they’re dealing with.