Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to insomnia and sleep medication.
Quviviq is a prescription sleep medication that was approved by the FDA in January of 2022. The manufacturer claims that this drug can “help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer” and that by using it you may feel less tired during the day.
The generic version of this medication is called daridorexant, and we’ll use these terms interchangeably because they refer to the same active drug ingredient.
But is Quviviq actually shown in clinical trials to improve sleep quality and duration? And if so, by how much? Does the drug cause side effects? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Quviviq.
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review medical research on Quviviq to determine if the medication is likely to be effective for insomnia. We’ll document side effects of the drug, compare its efficacy to Ambien (another leading insomnia medication), and share real, unsponsored user reviews of Quviviq.
How Effective is Quviviq?
Quviviq has been studied in various clinical trials for its ability to treat insomnia.
A medical review published in the European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology analyzed data from clinical trials on Quviviq, and found that the drug significantly reduced nighttime waking after sleep, significantly reduced time-to-sleep, and significantly improved overall sleep duration.
A 2022 clinical trial evaluated the effectiveness of Quviviq in patients with diagnosed insomnia. The medication was found effective, with patients on Quviviq taking 11.7 fewer minutes to fall asleep than patients taking placebo pills. Total sleep time was increased by around 10 minutes.
Another clinical trial compared the effects of Quviviq in older and younger adults with insomnia. The drug was found to be slightly more effective in older adults, with older patients waking less frequently.
The study authors suggested based on the data that older adults may require the higher dose of 50 milligrams (mg) to improve daytime functioning, while younger adults may see improvements in daytime functioning with the lower 25 mg dose.
Overall we will conclude that Quviviq is effective for treating insomina based on a review of medical research. But how does the drug’s effectiveness compare to Ambien? We’ll review in the next section.
Is Quviviq More Effective Than Ambien?
Ambien is one of the most commonly-prescribed sleep medications, so insomnia patients are often curious about which drug is more effective. There have been comparative studies on the two drugs.
A clinical trial published in the Annals of Neurology journal compared Quviviq and Ambien in patients with insomnia. Ambien was more effective than all doses of Quviviq for reducing time-to-sleep. Ambien was similarly effective to Quviviq in terms of daytime sleepiness and functioning.
Ambien caused more patients to experience side effects (40%) than Quviviq (36.25%).
A 2022 clinical trial compared the abuse potential of Quviviq and Ambien, and found that lower doses of Quviviq had lower addiction potential (due to lower scores of “drug-liking” by patients) than Ambien.
Based on the available data we will conclude that Ambien may be slightly more effective than Quviviq for insomnia, but more research is needed to say so conclusively. Quviviq appears to have a slightly more favorable side effect profile than Ambien.
It seems best that patients with mild-to-moderate insomnia should speak to their doctor about Quviviq, while patients with more severe insomnia may benefit from speaking to their doctor about Ambien.
Does Quviviq Cause Side Effects?
As referenced in the previous section, Quviviq does cause side effects in some patients.
A meta-study on Quviviq reported the most common side effects as cold symptoms and headache.
A clinical trial published in the Neurology journal reported fatigue and walking disturbances as other common side effects.
Compared to the side effect profile of some pharmaceutical drugs, these potential side effects are relatively mild. It’s also notable that Quviviq’s FDA label is free of a “black box” warning which is required for drugs with life-threatening side effects.
Are Sleeping Pills Unsafe?
A YouTube video published by a doctor named Christy Risinger, MD explains whether sleeping pills are dangerous, and shares some interesting information about negative health outcomes associated with sleeping pill use.
The video is unsponsored and has been viewed over 80,000 times:
How Much Does Quviviq Cost?
The price of Quviviq that any individual will pay will depend on their health insurance coverage.
At the time of writing this article, GoodRx reports that the average retail price of Quviviq is $551.74, so this is what uninsured patients can expect to pay.
We recommend that patients with health insurance contact their insurance provider to get a price estimate of Quviviq.
Quviviq’s website also has a Savings page where patients can apply for a “QSavings Card” that can reduce the price to $0 for the first fill and $25 for subsequent fills. However, the website does not specify who qualifies for the reduced prices or for how long.
We typically recommend that patients speak with their doctor about the generic alternative to brand-name drugs, because generics are equally effective, on average, and can be significantly cheaper. However in the case of Quviviq, no generic version is currently available as the drug was only approved by the FDA in 2022.
Our Clean Sleep Picks
There are sleep products with ingredients and materials clinically shown to improve sleep quality.
Sleep Mode from Bulletproof is our top sleep supplement pick.
It contains melatonin which is arguably the most well-studied sleep inducer, along with l-ornithine which is an amino acid that's clinically shown to reduce cortisol and improve sleep quality at the same dose as in Sleep Mode.
Interested consumers can check out Sleep Mode at this link to the product page on Bulletproof's official website, where it currently retails for under $30.
Nolah Weighted Bamboo Blanket is a great option for consumers who prefer non-supplement solutions for sleep. Weighted blankets are clinically shown to improve sleep quality in both older adults and in children, and early research suggests they may also reduce anxiety.
Interested consumers can check out Nolah Weighted Bamboo Blanket at this link to the product page on the official brand website, where it’s currently retailing for under $100.
Manta Sleep Mask is the most cost-effective sleep solution, because it’s only $35 and will last for years. A 2021 clinical trial found that eye mask and ear plug use improved sleep quality in ICU patients. Manta’s mask comes with ear plugs.
We can't locate any medical studies on sleep mask use in healthy patients, but it seems logical that the same effects would hold given that light exposure during sleep negatively impacts sleep quality.
Interested consumers can check out Manta Sleep Mask at this link to the product page on the official brand website.
We're not suggesting that any of these products are as effective as Quviviq or any other FDA-approved sleep medication; just sharing non-prescription alternatives that patients may wish to discuss with their doctor.
Real Patient Reviews of Quviviq
Quviviq has been reviewed over 30 times on Drugs.com, which is a website that allows prescription medication users to rate the drug(s) they’re taking and publish personal reviews.
The medication has an average review rating of 2.9 out of 10 which is unimpressive.
The top positive review comes from a user named “EBS” who gives the drug an 8/10 rating and claims it has been more effective than a different prescription insomnia medication:
“After spending the past two and a half years sleeping in hell on Belsomra 10-20mg/night, I have finally found a caring physician willing to Rx me Quviviq 25-50mg/night. There are still some negative side effects, especially next-day anxiety…At least there is much less anxiety and next day sleepiness with this than with Belsomra; it has a shorter half life.”
The top negative review is written by a user named “Deb72” who claims Quviviq caused side effects:
“This was horrible, if I slept it was short periods with vivid nightmares waking me up, body hurts legs restless. Sleepy all the next day worse than if I'm awake all night with no meds, this drug was overly advertised. I just spent 7 days with no sleep as I was told it would get better which it never did nightmare”.
