Ambien and Drowsiness: What Users Say

• Geo...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 13, 2019

For Insomnia "I have been using 5 or 10 mg generic Ambien for 8 years, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. I have major depressive disorder and anxiety, which made going to sleep a nightmare (pun intended). I actually feared bedtime because of my inability to fall and stay asleep. Ambien works within 15 minutes, and except for a couple of trips to the bathroom, I stay asleep for 7-8 hours. A tad groggy when I get up, but it passes quickly if I get up and move. I actually look forward to bed, whereas prior to Ambien, I dreaded a night of difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. No more 2-4 hours of horrible sleep."

• Deb...
• February 1, 2015

For Insomnia "I have been taking Ambien every night for over 20 years. I am a nurse, and it's very difficult to work swing shift and teach yourself to sleep whenever, especially if you suffer from insomnia. I have had insomnia since childhood, probably sleep walking. I used to sleep eat before taking the medicine. Now that I have it, my life has improved 200 percent. No one can imagine how disturbing it is to lie in bed for 8 hours wide awake, knowing you have work soon. When I first took it, I was groggy in the morning, but now as long as I get 8 hours, I wake up feeling awake and amazing, and I never grew a tolerance for it. Always works. I will say when I had children under 5, I would never take it, not safe when you are caring for others. This medication saved me."

• ins...
• March 3, 2014

For Insomnia "I've had horrible insomnia since I was a child. Diagnosed with severe sleep apnea a few years ago. Ambien is not the holy grail. You build up a tolerance over the years but 12.5 is as high as most doctors will go (from 10, 8 years ago). Pluses for Ambien - it will put you to sleep; no half-life so no grogginess in the morning. Minuses - it will put you to sleep but generally not keep you asleep. Thus the waking up wide awake at 3 a.m. There is now Intermezzo - a sublingual 3.5 dose of Ambien meant for this problem - works for me 50% of the time, otherwise I just stay up. Another minus - if you take Ambien on a full stomach IT WILL NOT WORK. I generally eat before 5 and allow 5 hours before I take it. But all in all - a savior!"

• Nes...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 27, 2019

For Insomnia "I've also been on this medication for about 10 years on and off. It can be highly addictive for some. From experience, I started with 5 mg, which worked great! I was finally able to get 7-8 hours of sleep. After 1 year, I noticed it wasn't working (I was only getting 3-4 hours of sleep), so my doctor prescribed me 10 mg. I went back to getting a good night's sleep, but after 2 years it wasn't working again and I went back to getting less sleep. I decided to take 1½ pills (15 mg) but it still wasn't working. I felt very groggy in the morning and couldn't remember certain things, which worried me. I decided to stop completely and experienced really bad withdrawals. I began to have seizures and ended up in the hospital, now I have to take anti-seizure meds. So my suggestion to you is: don't take this medication for a long time, it's only meant for short-term use, and do not take more than prescribed. Now I take a sleep aid that's not a controlled substance. There are other options other than sedatives/hypnotics that work."

• J-1...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 13, 2023

For Insomnia "Having terrible insomnia, I was given a script for Ambien. I took it two different nights-never again. The first night, while asleep, I tried climbing up our window frames. I took it one other time when my mother was dying. Again sleepwalking, I’m concerned that I might have even driven my car without being aware of this. As it was, I determined I had been sleepwalking due to waking in the morning with three broken front teeth as well as a bloody shin. It also leaves a drugged feeling. I had been prescribed the lowest dose. Having fallen and breaking teeth and not even waking up is extremely concerning to me. I wonder how much information the Ambien’s manufacturer actually has heard in regard to the negative effects of this medication. I’ve been in nursing (and knew better though desperate) and feel this is an extremely dangerous drug on the market."

• Dev...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 20, 2013

For Insomnia "I suffer from both sleep onset and sleep maintenance insomnia. My doctor recommended that I take 5 mg (half a dose) of Ambien prior to bedtime. In terms of overriding sleep onset insomnia, this product is excellent. It also does a good job of keeping me asleep throughout the night; however, I still wake up approximately five to six hours later. (My ideal amount of sleep is seven to eight hours.) Still, getting six hours of uninterrupted sleep is preferable to eight hours of fitful sleeping. It's also worth mentioning that Ambien doesn't leave me feeling groggy in the morning. Unlike some of the other reviewers here, I haven't experienced any of the more pernicious negative side effects, e.g., the various somnambulist activities."

• kar...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 15, 2015

For Insomnia "I have been taking Ambien for almost 1 year now and find it to work just well. I sleep for almost 6 hours, but it takes almost 1 to 1.5 hours to kick in for me. I take it when in bed because once it's in and the effect takes in, I fall right asleep and don't remember what time I fell asleep. I wake up right when my alarm goes off or if I need to use the restroom. I don't wake up groggy and feel pretty great about my day. Everyone I believe would like to sleep in more, but 4 to 6 hours is good for me. I have horrible insomnia, which keeps me up all night until about 6 to 7 a.m., then maybe fall asleep for being a zombie. Ambien definitely helps me, but yes, on an empty stomach is a must, else I can just say I wasted a pill. Good luck with your experiences."

• Mus...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 21, 2019

For Insomnia "Have been using 2.5 mg of extended-release Ambien generic for the past year pretty much every night without any apparent negative side effects other than grogginess in the morning that burns off in an hour or so. I take it for insomnia, and I am 65 years old. I recently have started on Neurontin for a herniated disk nerve pain and have been taking both meds together about an hour before bed. It allows me to fall asleep and stay asleep. I usually wake to the alarm at 6 am to get my wife up for work, but if no alarm, I will easily sleep till 11 am."

• Anonymous
• October 11, 2008

For Insomnia "I started taking Ambien about 3 years ago. When I first took it, I did make random phone calls and would eat in my sleep, but it worked. I only took it when I absolutely needed to. I stopped for about a year, then the insomnia started again, and I took it again, and the side effects weren't there. I still take it every once in a while when I really need it (maybe once a month), and the side effects are still gone. Just sleep, and I don't feel groggy in the morning."

• Poo...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 12, 2022

For Insomnia "When I go to bed and have to wake up at a certain time (early) in the morning, Zolpidem (Ambien generic) is a Godsend. My mind races when I have too many things going on, and Zolpidem can be trusted to help me fall asleep and stay asleep. My doctor tried to change me over to Belsomra, and while sitting in bed too many times looking at the clock and seeing 4:00 AM, I decided that that experiment did not work at all and requested to go back to Zolpidem. Now when I sit in bed and my mind is not slowing down, I take 1/2 of a 5 mg pill, and if I do not fall asleep after 30 minutes, I take the other half and then have a good restful night of sleep without drowsiness the next morning."

• Kat...
• April 6, 2017

For Insomnia "I just tried Ambien last night for the first time since not getting any more than 2-3 hrs of sleep, and I didn't take the recommended amount of 5 mg. I took 10 mg, and it worked perfect for me. No side effects of being drowsy in the morning, nothing. Slept right through the night and woke up like a new, refreshed woman."

• For...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 30, 2016

For Insomnia "Ambien was the only sleeping pill that worked for me. I was on 10 mg and went to the Ambien CR on 12.5 mg and back to 10 mg. Taking it on an empty stomach made me binge, forgetful, and do questionable/irresponsible things I wouldn't normally do. It also sometimes made me drowsy in the morning. It works quickly, unlike certain sleeping meds that you have to take 3 hours with food before bed. I had withdrawals on Ambien as well. A lot of negatives for me, but I still liked it best."

• gig...
• September 7, 2016

For Insomnia "Ambien is a wonderful sleep aid. For people who have trouble staying asleep, this is the medication for you. I've been taking it for at least 10 years, and I've not built up a tolerance to it yet. Don't get out of bed after taking it, as it does pose a risk of falling because it works very quickly and will make you very drowsy and perhaps dizzy. It helps me sleep for 7-8 hours without any hangover effect. Unfortunately, my 'nanny' prescription insurance has just informed me that it will not pay for my opioid pain medication and Ambien together, so I have to choose which medication I want the insurance to pay for. I'll just pay the $54 for it myself, as the 2 alternative drugs my doctor suggested have quite scary user reviews."

• wri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 16, 2019

For Insomnia "My oncologist (I'm fighting cancer) prescribed Ambien for me, as I'm going through a period of intense insomnia. I used it for two nights. As I fall asleep but wake up at three or four-unable to get back to sleep-I took it upon waking in the middle of the night. Ambien puts you out-you don't know you're falling asleep, and then you wake up. Three hours later! This is a short-action drug. Waking at 7 or so, I was intensely groggy. As I tried to get up and start my day, I felt odd and not in a good way. My nap later in the day was a drugged sleep. Last evening, I was irritable and felt feverish. I've put the Ambien away. It is far too chemical a drug for me, and my body is already dealing with heavy medications."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 7, 2015

For Insomnia "I have been taking Ambien or zolpidem for almost 15 years. I had horrible insomnia where I couldn't sleep sometimes at all during the night. The insomnia went on for about 2 years before I tried Ambien. It worked immediately. I don't take it every night, and when I do, I break off a third of the pill. The only side effect is sometimes grogginess in the morning. I worry about a little memory loss. I was told it disrupts your REM sleep, which can affect memory. Trying to get off completely, but don't want to go through that horrible insomnia again."

• LTr...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 23, 2015

For Insomnia "I have never experienced any hallucinogenic side effects from this drug, but I admit I've developed a nasty dependency to 100 mg/night. It is the only sleep aid that doesn't give me cotton mouth or drowsiness the next day and works like a charm every single time. Nothing even comes close to its effectiveness. Note: It is imperative that you take it once you are in bed and ready to sleep. After that, you aren't going anywhere, no sleepwalking, driving, or binge eating."

• Dav...
• April 27, 2010

For Insomnia "When it works, it works well with no next-day grogginess. I am a long-time user, beginning in 2001. I have pretty much stopped, after using it every night for 9 years. I have tried Lunesta and I sleep two hours even with a double dose. Rozerem had no effect. I may be trying Seroquel next. I had nighttime events with no memory of them. I typically had one event every few months, but some were potentially deadly. Yes, I too cooked all the time with no memory of it. I would wake up and crack eggs in the sink and food on the table. I also (VERY IMPORTANT) would go online, send email that was highly damaging and/or embarrassing and have no memory of doing it until I got responses. ALSO NIGHT DRIVING WITH NO MEMORY of the event."

• Sle...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 11, 2016

For Insomnia "I, a 21-year-old male, was prescribed 10 mg Ambien a few weeks ago for insomnia. I've dealt with insomnia for several years, I'd lie in bed with my eyes closed for 10 hours and would often not sleep for a second. Or if I did, it was for an hour or two, and I rarely felt rested. Beforehand, I tried many sleeping aids (Melatonin, Belsomra, Trazodone), and nothing worked. Within 20 minutes of taking Ambien for the first time, I was out like a light and slept 8+ hours for the first time in years. However, I've been more recently experiencing the problem of not only waking up feeling groggy, but feeling that throughout the day. Even 8+ hours and a significant amount of caffeine later, I feel far less attentive than I was when I was sleep deprived."

• Mer...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 23, 2018

For Insomnia "Ambien did not make me groggy during the day and did make me fall asleep, but I was forgetful during the day and fell out of bed and bruised my arm badly. I still think it is a good medication for severe insomnia. Not good to take long term for me."

• Wee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 11, 2018

For Insomnia "I have been dealing with severe insomnia recently and tried several things. Melatonin worked for about a day, then stopped. I tried OTC options, but nothing worked. I would get drowsy but was still unable to fall asleep. It was beginning to take a toll on my body, I have a physically demanding job and was really feeling the effects. My doctor is great, he asked about things I've tried, and he told me to try Ambien. Well, talk about fantastic! I took it last night after trying to fall asleep naturally and failing, and within 45 minutes, I was blissfully asleep. I slept the entire night, something I haven't been able to do. It works wonders for me, although I haven't been on it enough to know if it will continue to work, and I am aware of the limitations of this drug (shouldn't take it for more than 2 weeks). If you have a doctor willing to let you try it, I would highly recommend you do so. Make sure you take it about an hour before you want to be in bed sleeping."

• zzz...
• October 30, 2009

For Insomnia "This has been very helpful for me. My sleeping pattern has been messed up for years since having a daughter with a significant disability, which included, among many other things, a sleeping disorder. Ambien has enabled me to fall asleep consistently after a short period of time trying to fall asleep, whereas I used to, more often than not, lay awake for hours before falling asleep. It is interesting for me that there have been a couple of times where I was not able to go to bed for over an hour after taking it, and it didn't seem to make me feel any more groggy or sleepy, but when I did finally go to bed, I fell right asleep."

• nic...
• January 7, 2009

For Insomnia "I could never get to sleep as long as I have remembered. I'll get to bed around 2 and fall asleep around 5 or 6, and I wouldn't call it sleep anyway. I have been taking Ambien for 2-3 months and sleep fine. Much better than other medicines I've used for insomnia. No hangover the next day, just groggy for 30 minutes or so."

• Ste...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 22, 2016

For Insomnia "I've been sick for the past week, and because of that, I cut out my nightly glass of brandy - figured it was time to start cutting out certain unhealthy vices. I primarily used the brandy as a sleep aid right before bed (just one glass). Since doing so, however, I've been waking up several times a night. So, I asked my mom if I could take a small piece of one of her Ambien - about 1/4 of a pill. After about 15 minutes, my eyelids were heavy, and I don't remember actually going to sleep. It's more like I just blacked out. Today (the morning after), I didn't wake up until after 11 a.m. Just for context, I went to bed around 11 p.m. As I write this, it is almost 4 p.m., and I'm still extremely groggy and lethargic, along with dehydrated and cranky."

• Sca...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 18, 2015

For Insomnia "I was prescribed this by my doctor as a result of being bipolar and being up for days on end. Ambien is definitely a tremendous sleep inducer. After a few minutes, you wouldn't know if you were dead or alive. I was probably on 5 mg for about a year. When I was on a bipolar 'high', I could take three pills and only sleep a couple of hours. I often felt groggy or drugged the next day using this product. I quit taking this product as a result of weird and unexplained behavior. One time, I woke up with no clothes on and couldn't find them. I never slept naked because I was single and had a 17-year-old. Scary stuff. You don't know what you're doing on this stuff."

• Lex...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 2, 2021

For Insomnia "This medication is the worst. The first night, I only took a half, it did put me right to sleep. It was not a restful sleep. When I woke up, I was groggy, stumbling. The next night, I took the other half, it did not put me to sleep at all, and when I did fall asleep, once again not restful, not deep, terrible. Did not wake up groggy. On the third night, tonight, I did not take any Ambien. As I’m writing this now, it’s four in the morning, and I did not sleep. In fact, insomnia feels triple in strength-no sleep, not tired, night terrors, sleep paralysis, trembling. This is horrible. I’ve been up the entire night. I’m exhausted. I will never take Ambien again. It made things much worse for me."