Insomnia Treatment History Events

1623 The Word Insomnia was First Put in the Dictionary
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the term “insomnia” appeared in 1623, was Anglicized as insomnie, from Latin insomnia “want of sleep,” composed of “in”(meaning not) and “so...
1942 George Rieveschl Discovers Benadryl
Diphenhydramine, which is more widely known in the United States as Benadryl, is a drug which is manufactured by McNeil-PPC, a subdivision of Johnson and Johnson. It is currently being ma...
1946 Mar 4 FDA Approves Parke-Davis's Benadryl
Benadryl is an antihistamine. Diphenhydramine blocks the effects of the naturally occurring chemical histamine in the body. Benadryl is used to treat sneezing; runny nose; itching, wat...
1977 Sep 30 FDA Approves Biovail's Ativan
This medication is used to treat anxiety. Lorazepam belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines which act on the brain and nerves (central nervous system) to produce a calming ef...
1981 Feb 27 FDA Approves Sandoz's Restoril
Restoril is a sleeping aid used in the short-term treatment of insomnia, a condition in which patients have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night. Restoril belo...
1982 Nov 15 FDA Approves Upjohn's Halcion
Halcion is used for short-term treatment of insomnia. It is a member of the benzodiazepine class of drugs, many of which are used as tranquilizers.
1992 Dec 16 FDA Approves Sanofi Aventis's Ambien
Ambien is a sedative, also called a hypnotic. It affects chemicals in your brain that may become unbalanced and cause sleep problems (insomnia). Ambien is used for the short-term treat...
1997 Sep 26 FDA Approves AstraZeneca's Seroquel
Seroquel is prescribed for the treatment of schizophrenia, a mental disorder marked by delusions (false beliefs), hallucinations, disrupted thinking, and loss of contact with reality. It ...
1999 Aug 13 FDA Approves King's Sonata
Of all the new sleeping pills, Sonata stays active in the body for the shortest amount of time. That means you can try to fall asleep on your own. Then, if you're still staring at the clo...
2004 Dec 15 FDA Approves Sepracor Lunesta
Lunesta (eszopiclone), a new non-narcotic prescription sleep aid from Sepracor, received FDA approval on December 15, 2004. Lunesta represents a new treatment option for those suffering f...
2005 Jul 22 FDA Approves Takeda's Rozerem
Rozerem works by regulating a part of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or master clock, said Mini. The master clock sends signals to the body that make it feel tired after a ...
2005 Sep 2 FDA Approves Sanofi Aventis's Ambien CR
Treating insomnia (trouble falling asleep or staying asleep). Ambien CR Extended-Release Tablets are a sedative-hypnotic, or sleep medicine. It works by helping to increase certain nat...
2010 May 24 Researchers from Monash University find Patients with Traumatic Brain Injuries at Higher Risk for Insomnia
A squad of researchers from Monash University's School of Psychology and Psychiatry calculated in a laboratory location the sleep patterns of 23 patients with Traumatic Brain Injury with ...
2010 Jun 7 Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study Finds Chronic Insomnia have a Threefold Increased Risk of Death
If you experience chronic insomnia, researchers with the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study have found that individuals with this sleep disorder have a threefold greater mortality risk than peo...