Compare Lunesta vs Sonata for sleep disorders. Explore the best sleep aid for insomnia between Lunesta and Sonata. Both eszopiclone (Lunesta) and zaleplon (Sonata) are effective nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic agents, approved by the FDA for the treatment of insomnia. Lunesta was approved in 2004, just a few years after the approval of Sonata in 1999. Both drugs work by acting on GABA receptors which induce sleepiness; however, they may be prescribed under different circumstances given their varying pharmacokinetic profiles.