Efficacy of some benzodiazepines for day-time sleep.

1 Effects of flunitrazepam (0.25-0.50 mg) and the 1,4-triazolodiazepines, triazolam (0.25-0.50 mg) and brotizolam (0.3-0.6 mg), on day time sleep were studied by electroencephalography. 2 Flunitrazepam (0.25-0.50 mg) and triazolam (0.25-0.50 mg) reduced awake activity (P < 0.05) and improved the sleep efficiency index (P < 0.05). The higher dose of each drug increased total sleep time (P < 0.05 and < 0.01 respectively) and duration of stage 2 sleep (P < 0.01), and also delayed the first REM period (P < 0.05 and < 0.01 respectively). 3 Brotizolam (0.6 mg) markedly increased total sleep time (P < 0.001) and the sleep efficiency index (P < 0.01), and prolonged stages 2 (P < 0.01 and slow wave (P < 0.01) sleep. Over the dose range 0.3-0.6 mg, the latency to stage 3 sleep was shortened (P < 0.05), and that to the first REM period lengthened (P < 0.05). 4 All three drugs improved day time sleep. However the present observations and data from previous studies suggest that flunitrazepam (0.25-0.50 mg) may be particularly appropriate for sleep at unusual times.