Anxiolytics, sedatives and hypnotics are medicines that work on the central nervous system to relieve anxiety, aid sleep, or have a calming effect.
The benzodiazepines are the main class of drugs that fit into this category. Although there are more than twenty benzodiazepine derivatives, only certain ones have been approved to treat anxiety (eg, alprazolam, clonazepam, diazepam, and lorazepam), sleeplessness (insomnia) (eg, estazolam, flurazepam, quazepam, temazepam and triazolam), or panic disorder (eg, alprazolam).

Drug classes:

• barbiturates
• benzodiazepines
• miscellaneous anxiolytics, sedatives and hypnotics