Temazepam is an intermediate-acting 3-hydroxy benzodiazepine

Benzodiazepine

A benzodiazepine is a psychoactive drug whose core chemical structure is the fusion of a benzene ring and a diazepine ring...

. It is mostly prescribed for the short-term treatment of sleeplessness

Insomnia

Insomnia is most often defined by an individual's report of sleeping difficulties. While the term is sometimes used in sleep literature to describe a disorder demonstrated by polysomnographic evidence of disturbed sleep, insomnia is often defined as a positive response to either of two questions:...

 in patients who have difficulty maintaining sleep. In addition, temazepam has hypnotic, anxiolytic

Anxiolytic

An anxiolytic is a drug used for the treatment of anxiety, and its related psychological and physical symptoms...

 (anti-anxiety), anticonvulsant

Anticonvulsant

The anticonvulsants are a diverse group of pharmaceuticals used in the treatment of epileptic seizures. Anticonvulsants are also increasingly being used in the treatment of bipolar disorder, since many seem to act as mood stabilizers, and in the treatment of neuropathic pain. The goal of an...

, and skeletal muscle relaxant properties.
Temazepam was first synthesized in 1964, but it first came into use in 1969 when its ability to counter insomnia was realized.