ABSTRACT
In recent years, drug therapy for insomnia has become a challenge for researchers around the world.The conventional therapeutic agents for the treatment of insomnia are benzodiazepine(BZD) and non-BZD(also known as z-drug), tricyclic antidepressants(TCA) doxepin and melatonin agonists.But because of the significant side effects of these drugs(eg.hangover, dependency, tolerance, rebound, insomnia, respiratory depression, respiratory dysfunction, cognitive dysfunction and increased anxiety), their potential to solve sleep problems is limited.Recent studies have shown that orexin-like neuropeptides are a factor in regulating the transition between awakening and sleep, helping to switch from a transitional state to a conscious state as a possible therapeutic target for the treatment of sleep disorders, with less side effects than conventional therapy.This review focuses on the progress of orexin receptor antagonists as a sleep drug.