4 Temazepam Interactions to Consider

Temazepam (Restoril) is part of a group of medications called benzodiazepines (BZDs). It’s used to treat short-term insomnia (trouble sleeping). Like all BZDs, temazepam is a controlled substance and carries a variety of risks, including possible drug interactions.

If you’ve been prescribed this BZD, knowing about temazepam interactions is a good idea. This will help you understand which medications and substances are best to avoid while taking temazepam. We’ll discuss four of them below.

1. Alcohol

When you drink alcohol, your alertness and coordination is affected. BZDs such as temazepam can have the same effect. So combining alcohol and BZDs isn’t a good idea.

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This dangerous combination can lead to higher risk of falls, depression, and difficulty breathing. No amount of alcohol is safe to drink with temazepam, even just 1 or 2 drinks. 

If you drink regularly, let your healthcare provider know. They can help you find other ways to treat your insomnia. This may involve improving your sleep routine or trying cognitive behavioral therapy. They may also recommend trying other sleep medications. Additionally, your provider can help you reduce the amount of alcohol you drink.

Good to know: The alcohol and temazepam interaction isn’t the only reason to avoid drinking. Alcohol can have negative effects on your sleep. It may help you fall asleep faster, but it can lower your quality of sleep. And it can actually increase the amount of time you’re awake throughout the night.

2. Opioids

Opioids are a group of medications that treat pain. Like BZDs, they’re controlled substances. This means they have the potential to cause dependence and misuse. There are also restrictions on prescribing and refilling these medications. Examples of opioids include hydrocodone, oxycodone (Roxicodine, Oxycontin), and morphine (MS Contin). 

BZDs and opioids interact because they both cause drowsiness and dizziness. The combination increases your risk of developing slowed breathing, which is life-threatening. Using BZDs and opioids together increases the risk of overdose compared to using either medication alone.

All BZDs carry a boxed warning (the most serious FDA warning) about this potential interaction. So avoid taking opioids if you take temazepam. If you’re in need of pain relief, talk to your healthcare provider. Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) may be good options for you.

3. Other sleep medications

Besides temazepam, there are other medications that can help you sleep. As expected, these medications all cause drowsiness. But if you take temazepam and other medications for sleep, this can lead to extreme sleepiness and slowed breathing. Examples of these sleep medications include:

• “Z-drugs,” such as zolpidem (Ambien), eszopiclone (Lunesta), and zaleplon (Sonata)

• Some OTC antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and doxylamine (Unisom SleepTabs)

• OTC melatonin supplements

• Melatonin receptor antagonists such as ramelteon (Rozerem)

• Antidepressants used for sleep, such as trazodone and doxepin (Silenor)

• Orexin receptor antagonists, such as suvorexant (Belsomra) and lemborexant (Dayvigo)

Some of these medications are riskier than others when combined with temazepam. For example, Z-drugs work similarly to BZDs. They have similar risks, especially drowsiness, decreased coordination, and falls. So combining these medications could be especially dangerous.

4. Other medications that cause drowsiness

There’s a wide range of medications that can cause drowsiness and dizziness. Taking these medications with temazepam can worsen these side effects. This can cause poor coordination skills and falls. It may impair your ability to complete your daily tasks, including driving. Examples of medications that cause drowsiness include:

• Barbiturates such as phenobarbital

• Muscle relaxers, such as cyclobenzaprine and carisoprodol (Soma)

• Antipsychotic medications, such as quetiapine (Seroquel), aripiprazole (Abilify), and clozapine (Clozaril)

• Seizure medications, such as gabapentin (Neurontin), lamotrigine (Lamictal), and topiramate (Topamax)

• Antidepressants, such as fluoxetine (Prozac) and mirtazapine (Remeron)

Other medications not listed here can also cause drowsiness and dizziness. So make sure your healthcare provider and pharmacist have a complete list of all the medications you take. This will help them check for possible temazepam interactions. 

If you feel extremely tired or dizzy at any point while taking temazepam, let your provider know immediately. They may need to adjust your medication regimen.

When should you contact your healthcare provider about a temazepam interaction?

If you’re experiencing symptoms of a temazepam interaction, it’s a good idea to check in with your healthcare provider. This includes drowsiness, dizziness, and worsening coordination. Seek emergency care if you experience severe confusion, trouble breathing, or going in and out of consciousness.

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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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