Lunesta (Eszopiclone) Addiction: Signs and Side Effects of Abuse

Lunesta, the brand name for eszopiclone, is a prescription sleep aid. It’s often grouped with nonbenzodiazepine sedative-hypnotics, which are sometimes referred to by their street names, Z-drugs, sleepers, zombies and Zs. 

While it doesn’t lead to addiction in the same way as benzodiazepines, Lunesta abuse can still lead to dependence, especially if you’re taking extra doses or mixing it with alcohol or other drugs. Learning about Lunesta addiction can help you understand why it’s addictive, key warning signs and withdrawal symptoms.

Lunesta increases GABA activity and slows brain activity, which makes you feel relaxed and sedated. It provides fast relief from insomnia, which may cause people who depend on it for sleep to use it more frequently than they should, which can eventually lead to a sleep medication use disorder.

Factors that increase Z-drug misuse include:

• Doctors often prescribe it for use “as needed,” without setting clear boundaries.
• Lunesta tolerance can build quickly, making you take higher doses to feel the same effects.
• Users often don’t know about the risks associated with taking extra doses, potentially taking it during the day or mixing it with other substances.
• You can develop a psychological reliance on it if you feel you can’t fall asleep without it.
• Many people believe it’s safe because it’s a prescription drug.

Lunesta abuse involves using it in a way other than what your doctor intended. That can mean taking higher doses than your doctor prescribed, continuing to take it after your prescription ends or buying pills on the street. When a person develops Lunesta addiction, their behavior patterns become ongoing and consistent. They might have cravings or continue to take it despite negative effects on their daily lives.

Examples of Lunesta misuse include:

• Popping an extra pill to fall asleep faster
• Taking it when faced with stressful situations
• Waking up in the middle of the night and taking another pill to fall back asleep
• Mixing it with alcohol or other substances to feel more relaxed

Examples of Lunesta addiction include:

• Feeling like you can’t sleep without it and panicking when your supply runs low
• Experiencing rebound insomnia, anxiety or racing thoughts when you try to stop taking it 
• Continuing to take it after your prescription stops or your loved ones ask you not to

Clinicians now use the terms “misuse” and “substance use disorder” instead of “abuse” and “addiction” to reflect the fact that addiction is a disease and not a personal choice.

Lunesta can cause physical and psychological dependence because of the way it acts on your brain’s GABA receptors. Dependency isn’t the same as addiction, but it can signal that there’s a growing problem.

If you become dependent on Lunesta, you may feel like you won’t be able to sleep without it and experience withdrawal symptoms if you try to stop taking it. The risk of eszopiclone dependence increases with higher doses and long-term use, and dependency often leads to tolerance and addiction.

In the early stages of Lunesta misuse, you might see subtle changes in your sleep patterns and mood. Recognizing the warning signs can help you get a handle on your use or reach out for help before you become addicted.

Behavioral Signs

Lunesta addiction typically shows up quietly in a person’s daily habits, routines and decisions. These small shifts are often easy to overlook.

Behavioral signs of Lunesta addiction include:

• Taking it earlier than directed
• Taking extra doses
• Running out early or seeking refills sooner than expected
• Hiding use or being secretive about it
• Using it for reasons other than sleep
• Prioritizing Lunesta use over healthy sleep habits

Sleep-Related Signs

Sleep patterns tend to become disrupted with continued use, which reinforces Lunesta misuse.

Sleep-related signs of Lunesta addiction include:

• Panic about bedtime and whether you’ll be able to fall asleep
• Believing you won’t be able to fall asleep without it
• Using it when you don’t need to fall asleep fast
• Poor quality sleep

Physical Signs

When someone develops physical signs of Lunesta addiction, their body has likely adapted to the drug. These symptoms generally continue to worsen, especially when trying to discontinue use.

Physical signs of Lunesta addiction include:

• Excessive drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Poor coordination
• Slurred speech
• Slowed reaction time
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Muscle tremors

Cognitive Signs

Lunesta can affect decision-making and memory retention. These changes often develop gradually.

Cognitive signs of Lunesta addiction include:

• Memory gaps
• Confusion
• Impaired judgment
• Next-day grogginess
• Difficulty learning new information

Functional Signs

The functional signs of Lunesta mean it’s starting to interfere with your daily life. When that happens, it’s a strong indication that you need professional addiction treatment.

Functional signs of Lunesta addiction include:

• Failing to meet your work, school or responsibilities
• Relationship strain
• Risky driving  
• Isolating yourself from friends and family
• Neglecting your personal hygiene 
• Mixing it with alcohol, opioids or other sedatives

Withdrawal symptoms can happen after your brain adapts to eszopiclone and its sedating effects. If you try to cut back or stop taking it, you may experience rebound effects. The severity of withdrawal symptoms depends on your dose, how long you’ve taken it, how often you take it and whether you combine it with other depressants.

Lunesta withdrawal symptoms include:

• Rebound insomnia
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Tremors
• Mood swings
• Cravings
• Fatigue
• Body discomfort

Lunesta has both short- and long-term side effects. Recognizing Lunesta side effects and sedative risks can help you determine whether your use is getting out of hand and requires professional intervention.

Short-Term Effects

The short-term side effects of Lunesta appear fast and can often get worse as you continue using the drug.

Short-term effects of Lunesta abuse include:

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Dry mouth
• Impaired coordination
• Slowed reaction time
• Low blood pressure
• Increased risk of falls and accidents

Cognitive and mood effects of Lunesta abuse include:

• Memory issues
• Losing inhibitions
• Irritability
• Next-day impairment that affects work, school or driving
• Suicidal thoughts

Complex sleep behaviors (CSBs) from Lunesta abuse include:

• Sleepwalking
• Sleep eating
• Sleep driving
• Making calls or sending texts
• Shopping online
• Cleaning, organizing and other routine tasks

Long-Term Concerns

Long-term use can have adverse effects, such as:

• Tolerance
• Dependence
• Decreased sleep quality
• Declining mental health
• Higher overdose risk
• Memory loss
• Chronic fatigue
• Liver strain

Not everyone who takes Lunesta will become addicted to it. However, certain risk factors can increase the chances that your use might develop into dependence or addiction over time.

Sleep and Mental Health Factors

Mental health conditions and sleep disorders tend to amplify each other, creating an ongoing cycle. Over time, this can lead to misuse, even if you started taking the drug exactly as prescribed, due to insomnia.

Sleep medication misuse risk factors include:

• Chronic insomnia to the point where you can’t fall asleep without it
• An inconsistent sleep schedule
• Poor sleep hygiene
• Depression
• Anxiety
• A history of trauma

Behavioral Factors

Certain behavioral patterns can indicate that Lunesta use has shifted from short-term relief to an unhealthy dependence.

Behavioral sleep medication misuse risk factors include:

• Using it every night for a long time
• Taking more pills than your regular dose without guidance or against recommendation
• Using it to cope with stress in addition to sleep
• Ignoring side effects or warning signs

Substances History Factors

Having a history of substance use disorders can make it easier for you to become addicted to other substances. Substance history factors include prior misuse of alcohol, over-the-counter sleep medications, benzodiazepines or other sedatives.

Access Factors

Easy access to Lunesta can increase your risk of addiction.

Access sleep medication misuse risk factors include:

• Having a long-term or open-ended prescription
• Having leftover medication after your prescription ends
• Sharing a prescription with a friend or family member
• Lack of medication monitoring
• Telehealth or quick-visit prescriptions with limited evaluation

Diagnosing Lunesta addiction requires an assessment by a healthcare professional. If you meet the criteria, your doctor will diagnose you with a sedative-hypnotic addiction.

Your clinician will evaluate you based on:

• Lost control over your usage
• Experienced cravings
• Developed a dependence and tolerance on the medication
• Experienced withdrawal symptoms when you’ve tried to stop taking it on your own
• Used it in risky ways, such as mixing it with other drugs or alcohol
• Continued to use it despite the harm it may be causing in your professional or personal life

During your assessment, your healthcare provider will ask about your sleep history and conduct a mental health screening to check for co-occurring disorders, such as anxiety, depression or trauma. You’ll also be asked if you’ve driven under the influence or experienced falls and accidents, memory gaps and blackouts and complex sleep behaviors as a result of using the drug. 

It’s important to be completely honest with your clinician during this screening so they can make an accurate diagnosis. Don’t feel embarrassed or ashamed – they’ve seen it all before, and nothing you say will shock them.

Anyone can become dependent on sleep medication, so it shouldn’t be considered a personal failure. If your Lunesta misuse causes memory gaps, falls, worsening mental health or dangerous nighttime behaviors, it’s time to take action and seek professional help. Use the free and confidential treatment finder on Help.org to locate Lunesta rehab programs near you that fit your needs or personal preferences.