Hormonal
Systemically administered GABAA receptor agonistic modulators (barbiturates, benzodiazepines, zolpidem, zopiclone, neuroactive steroids) reduce sleep latency, increase NREM sleep continuity, and promote sleep spindles, but suppress slow-wave activity (SWA) and REM sleep.
GABAA-targeting sleep medications (like benzodiazepines or Z-drugs) generally help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer by increasing NREM sleep and spindles. However, they tend to reduce deep slow-wave sleep and REM sleep. If sleep quality (depth and dreaming) is your priority, these drugs may alter your sleep architecture in ways that feel less restorative despite longer duration.
In both rats and normal sleeping individuals, agonistic modulators are able to reduce sleep latency, increase sleep continuity, and promote non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep as well as the occurrence of spindles. Furthermore, nearly all of these compounds have been shown to attenuate slow-wave activity (SWA) and to suppress the occurrence of REM sleep.
Why this rating
Based on a comprehensive review of multiple animal and human studies across various compounds.
Source
Role of GABAA Receptors in the Regulation of Sleep: Initial Sleep Responses to Peripherally Administered Modulators and Agonists
Marike Lancel · SLEEP · 1999
DOI 10.1093/sleep/22.1.33
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