Temazepam Dosages for Adults: Your GoodRx Guide

Temazepam (Restoril) is part of a group of medications called benzodiazepines. Some benzodiazepines are FDA approved to treat anxiety, sleep issues, and seizures. Temazepam is only FDA approved to treat people who have insomnia (trouble sleeping). But it’s only meant to be taken on a short-term basis, for about 7 to 10 days.

Temazepam helps some people fall asleep quicker and sleep for a longer amount of time. But it can have significant risks, so following your healthcare provider’s instructions and taking the prescribed dosage is important. Here, we’ll cover what you need to know about temazepam dosages.

Keep in mind: Temazepam isn’t approved for use in children.

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What’s the typical temazepam dosage for adults?

Temazepam comes as an oral capsule in the following doses:

• 7.5 mg

• 15 mg

• 22.5 mg

• 30 mg

The typical temazepam dosage is 15 mg before bed. But this isn’t necessarily the best dosage for everyone. A 7.5 mg dose may be enough to help you sleep. Or you may need up to 30 mg, if a 15 mg dose isn’t working. But keep in mind that higher dosages (30 mg before bed) may be more likely to cause side effects, like daytime drowsiness.

Temazepam is only recommended to treat insomnia on a short-term basis, or about 7 to 10 days. And it’s likely not the first medication your healthcare provider will recommend, since it has significant risks. Temazepam is a controlled substance, which means it can lead to dependence and misuse. It can also cause drowsiness, confusion, and falls, especially in older people. This is why it’s important to take the lowest effective dosage for the shortest amount of time possible.

Keep in mind: Many medical conditions — including chronic pain, restless legs syndrome, and sleep apnea — can cause insomnia. And stress, drinking caffeine too close to bedtime, and drinking alcohol can also affect your sleep. So if you still need temazepam to sleep after you’ve been taking it for about 10 days, talk to your healthcare provider. They can help you figure out if there’s an underlying cause for your insomnia.

Are there dosage adjustments for certain people?

Yes, there are dosage adjustments for certain people taking temazepam. If you’re over 65, medications are more likely to build up in your body. This may be due to health conditions such as kidney and liver problems. Or it may be due to taking other medications that interact with temazepam and increase temazepam levels in the blood.

For these reasons, the typical starting temazepam dosage for people over 65 years old is 7.5 mg before bed.

Good to know: The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) publishes a list of medications that may have extra risk for adults over 65 years old, which is called the AGS Beers List. Benzodiazepines like temazepam are on this list. So if you’re over 65, it’s best to avoid temazepam entirely if possible. You can talk to your healthcare provider about other sleep medication options, however.

What happens if you miss a dose of temazepam?

If you forget to take temazepam before bedtime, you might have trouble sleeping. If this is the case, and you’re able to stay in bed for the next 7 to 8 hours, go ahead and take your dose. But if you can’t stay in bed for that long, skip the missed dose and wait until the following night to take the medication.

Taking temazepam when you don’t plan to be asleep for the next 7 to 8 hours can cause daytime drowsiness and dizziness. More seriously, it can cause falls and impair your ability to do daily activities, including driving. Because of this, you should never take temazepam during the day, even if you forget your nighttime dose.

What should you do if you take too much temazepam?

Taking too much temazepam has serious risks. Signs that you may have taken too much temazepam include excessive sleepiness and confusion. More seriously, you could experience trouble breathing or unconsciousness from a benzodiazepine overdose. 

To minimize the chance of taking too much temazepam, closely follow your healthcare provider’s instructions for how to take it. Don’t take temazepam for longer than your provider recommends. And don’t take more than you’re prescribed at once. Even if you’re still having trouble sleeping, talk to your healthcare provider before making any changes to your dosage.

If you’ve taken too much temazepam and you’re not experiencing symptoms, contact your healthcare provider right away. They can help you decide what to do next. But if you experience any symptoms, including extreme lethargy, poor coordination, or irregular breathing, call 911.

Keep in mind: Benzodiazepine overdose is more likely if you’re taking other substances that can also affect your breathing, like opioids or alcohol. So avoid ingesting these substances with benzodiazepines to minimize your risk of serious side effects.

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Written by:

Amy B. Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS

Amy Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. Amy currently holds her pharmacist license in Georgia and California.

Reviewed by:

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP, is a board-certified ambulatory care clinical pharmacist. In his early career, he provided direct patient care in a variety of settings, including hospital and community pharmacies, and in a primary care clinic as a clinical pharmacist.

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