u/Subject_Laugh_1618

here‘s a personal report about a month into taking Dayvigo (lemorexant, 5mg) for chronic insomnia. ive also explained how it works, and things to know about the medication.

my insomnia:

21 y/o female, adhd, mild anxiety, depressive on and off. 40mg vyvance

i struggled to fall asleep but not to stay asleep. I describe it like ”the light just doesn’t turn off.” even exhausted, it took at least two hours to fall asleep. tried everything; it wasn’t like my thoughts kept me awake, I genuinely would lie awake all night. insomnia since childhood- years before being prescribed a stimulant.

if you have insomnia, you also understand what it’s like to wake up after nights of failed sleep attempts. the flu like haze, feeling drunk without euphoria. I reached a point where i felt ill all the time and I couldn’t take it anymore.

prescription & how it works

rather than blocking GABA-A receptors, (sedating you, relaxing you, reducing anxiety) dayvigo blocks only orexin, the ”wakefulness“ signal). As a result, it’s a less addictive alternative to other options (Ambien, Benzodiazepine, etc.)

I was prescribed in Canada by a family doctor. it is expensive at about 200 a month from what I’ve heard. I am lucky that insurance covered some, and it came out to about 70 dollars.

I was prescribed 30 units of 5mg- I was told if 5 wasn’t working, to try 10mg. When taken on an empty stomach, it should take effect within 15-20 minutes to work. It lasts a long time in the body- 17 hours about- - I was warned not to take it late at night, risking morning drowsiness.

first doses

it takes some time to work. for the first week, I had no improvement in my sleep onset. (still falling asleep at 2am) I took it roughly two hours after eating and noticed some mild drowsiness within 45 minutes. in the early days, I woke up groggy. i was doubtful, feeling even more tired than I had before being prescribed.

a month in & my experience

with time, I began falling asleep earlier and earlier. I describe the feeling to be how melatonin should feel. it’s how ‘normal’ people describe it- you’re not sedated in a drunk way, but you feel a ’natural’ tiredness. my bed felt comfortable, but I wasn’t melting in it. I now notice the effects within fifteen minutes. i‘m not drowsy in the mornings anymore either. i don’t exactly wake up feeling like a new person, but my energy levels are stable upon wake.

dreams & side effects

there are reports of nightmares, sleep paralysis, and vivid dreams. studies suggest this affects around 10% of users. similar rates of daytime drowsiness.

i‘ve had all issues before, so I was concerned starting dayvigo. knock on wood, I’ve had no nightmares or sleep paralysis experiences.
i do however, experience vivid dreams. I noticed this from the beginning. my dreams are long, detailed, and complex. honestly, I don’t mind it at all. they’re not distressing, scary, or disturbing dreams. I suppose it reflects more deep sleep.

again, I was drowsy early on, but this seemed to fade.

benefits

i have a sleep schedule for the first time in my entire life. I pray for the fellow insomniacs that this- or anything- would help. to experience sleep like a ‘normal’ person is like learning to live again. tmi, but my digestive patterns, my mood, my energy, and my routines have become more predictable and stable. this must be what it’s like to have a circadian rhythm. lol.

the one night i went to bed late and decided to skip it, I was reminded that it does work. :D it was like I returned right back to my baseline. the difference was shocking. although I notice no tolerance now, I’m only hoping that it continues to work down the line.

concerns / downsides

price, dependancy. but I’d rather “have to take” dayvigo to sleep, than live the rest of my life in pain.

ive never reported anything on Reddit, but I supposed it was worth sharing. I know the utter torture that is insomnia too well. I hope this helps someone, and that others can access relief as well :,)

thanks for reading!