Background. People have been looking for a peaceful and carefree sleep for a long time, and, in the end, they consume many potions. Sleep is defined as a state of unconsciousness from which sensory or other stimuli can awaken the human. Insomnia is characterised by difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep. Depending on the information sources and the country, insomnia is reported to be 9-27% of the population.Predominated by the female gender, insomnia is more frequent with advancing age. A sedative drug decreases activity, moderates excitement and calms. In contrast, a hypnotic drug produces drowsiness. It facilitates the emergence and maintenance of a state of sleep that resembles physiological sleep in its electroencephalographic characteristics and from which the patient can be easily awakened. Thus, finding a good combination of drugs to eliminate insomnia or improve sleep is crucial. Objective of the study. Analysis of the arsenal of sedative and hypnotic drugs on the pharmaceutical market used in insomnia therapy. Material and Methods. The materials that served as a database were collected from contemporary pharmacotherapy, the State Nomenclature of Medicines, instructions for the use of medicines, and various bibliographic and informative sources (articles from specialised journals, Pharmacopoeia, and manuals). Results. After analysing the data from the specialised literature, we discovered that insomnia treatment includes preparations with a sedative-hypnotic action that acts: through GABA-benzodiazepine receptors, benzodiazepine-like agents, barbiturates; through the melatonin receptors:-ramelteon; through histamine receptors:-diphenhydramine; serotonergic and noradrenergic antidepressants; tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants. Conclusions. The study shows that both primary and secondary insomnia arising from different causes remains quite frequent, which requires a specific treatment approach which leads to healthy and qualitative sleep.