> True “sleeping pills” are usually controlled substances and few doctors would prescribe them as first-line options for a patient who shows up with first time complaints of sleep problems. They won’t be prescribed long-term either.
Modern orexin antagonist sleep medications are not addictive and can be taken long-term.
Trazodone does little to improve objective sleep quality [0] when used off-label for treating insomnia. From my n=1 experience it it useful as an adjunct to an orexin antagonist in special cases when I stressed/annoyed out of my mind by work or something else, but not as a primary "sleeping pill".
Modern orexin antagonist sleep medications are not addictive and can be taken long-term.