Sleep Disorders Treatment Rozerem for Insomnia Treatment Sleeping Pill Affects Levels of the Hormone Melatonin By Brandon Peters, MD facebook twitter Brandon Peters, MD, is a board-certified neurologist and sleep medicine specialist. Learn about our editorial process Brandon Peters, MD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Jenny Sweigard, MD on January 21, 2020 linkedin Jenny Sweigard, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine. She is an in-patient physician at Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center in North Carolina. Learn about our Medical Review Board Jenny Sweigard, MD Updated on January 27, 2020 Print Rozerem is a prescription sleeping pill that is also sold under the generic name ramelteon and is used for the treatment of insomnia. Rozerem is an agonist for melatonin receptors, but does not change levels of melatonin in the body—it actually enhances melatonin's effects. Frederic Cirou / Canopy / Getty Images Uses Rozerem is a prescription medication that can be used to initiate sleep in individuals suffering from insomnia. It is a hypnotic drug and causes the user to become sleepy. How It Works Rozerem works by binding the receptors for a hormone called melatonin. This helps the action of melatonin (this is called being an agonist) and enhances melatonin’s effect of promoting sleep and controlling circadian rhythms. Contraindications Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone. However, there are some situations when Rozerem should not be used. If you have severe liver disease or sleep apnea, you should avoid using Rozerem. In addition, caution is advised if you have mild liver disease, recent changes in your smoking habits, depression, or severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. You should not use Rozerem with alcohol. Rozerem has the potential to interact with other medications, so you should review all drugs that you are taking with your doctor if you are using or are set to use Rozerem. Side Effects As with any drug, there is the potential for harmful side effects. Although you would not be expected to experience most side effects—and would likely not experience any of them—some of the more common that can occur with the use of Rozerem include: HeadacheSleepinessDizzinessNauseaInsomniaUpper respiratory infectionsDiarrheaMuscle or joint painDepressionTaste changesChange in hormonal levels (elevated prolactin, decreased testosterone, or decreased cortisol) Potential Serious Reactions These more serious side effects occur more rarely: Suicidal thoughtsWorsening depressionBehavioral disturbancesHallucinationsComplex sleep-related behaviorAnaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction involving difficulty breathing) Liver tumors have also been noted as a potential side effect, though this research was only performed on animals. Things to Keep in Mind Certain people should use Rozerem with caution or not at all, as noted above. Harm to a developing fetus is possible, and the safety of the drug's use during lactation is unknown. It should be used with caution if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. No routine testing is necessary for monitoring. If you experience any difficulties, you should be in close contact with your primary health provider. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tossing and turning night over night can have a big impact on your quality of life. Our free guide can help you get the rest you need. Sign up for our newsletter and get it free. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Takeda Pharmaceutical Company. Rozeram Prescribing Information. Updated Dec. 2018.