Many people can stop sleeping pills quickly without difficulty. But, about half (50%) of those who have taken sleeping pills for several weeks or longer will experience the sleeping pill withdrawal syndrome if treatment is stopped too quickly.
Use the Stop Sleeping Pills Guide and Planner to learn how to stop sleeping pills safely while getting your sleep back.
Many people find that working through a course of CBTi while reducing their sleeping pills helps them get a better night’s sleep and makes it easier to stop their sleeping pills. The CBTi course is often finished before completely stopping the sleeping pills, which can take several weeks or months.
Develop your dose reduction plan with your doctor and pharmacist. Check-in with them regularly during the dose reduction process as well as after it is over.
Your plan should be flexible. Make adjustments based on how you are feeling and other practical considerations (see Terry’s Story)
Aim to reduce your dose on the same day of the week every 1 or 2 weeks.
Option 1: Stairs
Reduce the dose the same amount each week.
This works well for most people.
Option 2: Slow slide
The amount that your dose decreases gets smaller over time.
How long it takes to reduce and stop sleeping pills varies a lot, from a few days to over a year, depending on how long you have been taking sleeping pills and how sensitive you are to the withdrawal syndrome.
Use our Stopping Guidance tool to find out how long to taper down your sleeping pill dose by selecting how long you have been taking sleeping pills. Keep in mind some people can stop faster than is shown here while others need to go more slowly.
Insomnia is part of the sleeping pill withdrawal syndrome. If you have taken a sleeping pill for 4 weeks or less, this can be managed by increasing your sleep drive. Get out of bed 15-30 minutes earlier than usual on the morning after you have taken your last sleeping pill. If you have taken sleeping pills longer, you should use various CBTi strategies to get your sleep back and to help avoid withdrawal insomnia.
After 40 years of nightly sleeping pill use, Faye decided to make a change. In this video, Faye shares her experiences working through a gradual dose reduction plan and introducing new healthy sleep behaviours that dramatically improved her sleep as well as helped her mood, energy levels, and focus.
Select the duration that matches with your use for advice on how to reduce your sleeping pill dose.
Your stopping plan can be brief
No taper required. Increase your sleep drive – rise 15-30 minutes earlier than usual the morning after your last dose.
Your stopping plan can be brief
Reduce your dose by half for 2-5 days before stopping it. Increase your sleep drive — rise 15-30 minutes earlier than usual the morning after your last dose.
Your stopping plan can be brief
Reduce your dose by half for 1-2 weeks. Optional: then ¼ dose for 1 week. Increase your sleep drive — rise 15-30 minutes earlier than usual the morning after your last dose.
You should reduce the dose slowly
Plan to gradually reduce your dose over 6-12 weeks. Use CBTi to treat insomnia.
You should reduce the dose slowly
Plan to gradually reduce your dose over 6-52 weeks. Use CBTi to treat insomnia.
You can stop taking sleeping pills even if you have been taking them for a long time. It is time to break the vicious cycle. Together with your doctor and pharmacist, you can create your dose reduction plan using our guide and planner.
What do you know about sleeping pills? Take our Sleep Medication Quiz.
Learn about the various risks associated with sleeping pills.
Learn how Terry gradually reduced and stopped taking sleeping pills.
Learn how to stop sleeping pills safely while getting your sleep back.
It is common for you to experience a return of insomnia when stopping sleeping pills.
Learn how sleeping pills have been used to treat insomnia throughout our history.