Zolpidem and Drowsiness: What Users Say

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

Ambien (zolpidem) 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

Ambien (zolpidem) 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

Ambien (zolpidem) 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

Ambien (zolpidem) 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."

• Anonymous
• April 18, 2012

Intermezzo (zolpidem) for Insomnia "I took this early enough that I still had 6 hours to sleep. I woke up feeling refreshed! I felt much better than I usually do after sleeping. I slept so soundly. Other sleeping pills left me feeling groggy the next day - but not this."

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

Ambien (zolpidem) 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."

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

Ambien (zolpidem) 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."

• Kat...
• April 6, 2017

Ambien (zolpidem) 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."

• Anonymous
• October 11, 2008

Ambien (zolpidem) 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."

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

Ambien (zolpidem) 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

Ambien (zolpidem) 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."

• Jaq...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 7, 2019

For Insomnia "Worked for airlines for the last 30 years. Need to sleep on command, because flights are 19 hours ahead of my normal time zone. Been a brand Ambien user for 25 years, 10 mg (cut in half), taking 5 mg at sleep/rest time. Pharmacist decided to give me the generic Zolpidem Tartrate, and I didn't check until I arrived home. Pharmacy refuses to take it back, so I've been trying it for 1 week now, doesn't work like Ambien brand, takes longer to fall asleep, wake up with headaches, and I feel very groggy when I wake. Had to call my local pharmacist, told them to log in my account records and note: never switch Ambien brand with any other generic names. It's just a few bucks more with insurance, but it's worth being able to sleep on command 95% of the time. Zolpidem Tartrate rating 3, Ambien brand rating 9."

• gig...
• September 7, 2016

Ambien (zolpidem) 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."

• Adi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 8, 2018

Ambien CR (zolpidem) for Insomnia "Over a period of time, my doc prescribed me a whole list of medications to see which one worked the most. Right now, I'm on Ambien CR, and just like most others I had tried, it worked the first few nights. Now, when I take it, I'm wide awake for 5 to 6 hours, and then I'll end up sleeping all day the next day."

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

Ambien (zolpidem) 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."

• Bra...
• December 20, 2015

Ambien CR (zolpidem) for Insomnia "I have severe insomnia, and Ambien CR has worked very well for me. Previously, I tried the Ambien IR, and while it did knock me out for a good 3-4 hours, it didn't help me to stay asleep, and the Ambien CR does just that. My only complaint is some days I seem to be very drowsy and sluggish, but most of the time I wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day."

• Pet...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 7, 2018

Ambien (zolpidem) for Insomnia "Careful with this drug. I would not recommend using it for more than a couple of weeks. I took it for just over a month and ran into problems after the third week. There's a good reason most doctors are unwilling to prescribe it long term because it is pretty bad to withdraw from, and you can start to crave the high that it gives. If you stay up, just one night of doing that was enough, as I got addicted. I found myself not remembering that I took more than one... Some nights I took 3 and even 4 one night. The next day, I was severely drowsy, was also experiencing withdrawal sweats, muscle twitches, and severe anxiety. Personally, I find Doxylamine to be actually more effective than Ambien, and it's not addictive."

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

Ambien (zolpidem) 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."

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

Ambien (zolpidem) 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."

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

Ambien (zolpidem) 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."

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

Ambien (zolpidem) 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."

• Dav...
• April 27, 2010

Ambien (zolpidem) 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."

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

Ambien (zolpidem) 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."

• stl...
• March 31, 2010

Ambien CR (zolpidem) for Insomnia "I just started using Ambien CR, and like most of the people, I was scared to take it because of all of these weird side effects that people experience, but thank GOD it worked on me just fine. My doctor was gentle to me, and she prescribed only 5 mg, and I must say it worked like a charm. I took it, and half an hour later (maybe even less), I was deep in sleep. I did sleep close to 5 hours, and I must say I don't remember the last time I was feeling so refreshed and so rested. Other medicines I've tried put me asleep, but when I would wake up, I would feel so groggy. I'm finally happy to say that I found a medicine that works for me."

• Liz...
• March 14, 2015

Ambien CR (zolpidem) for Insomnia "I have been on regular Ambien 10 mg since 2007. I have major insomnia and have tried alternatives and even quit drinking caffeine and limit sugar to no avail. I talked to my doctor yesterday and decided to try the CR because I just couldn't stay asleep. After 3-4 hours, I was wide awake. Well, last night I had the most vivid dreams and I am still groggy this morning. It definitely helped me fall back asleep. (I pee a lot, lol.) I am glad I waited until the weekend to see how it would affect me. I took it at 8:30 p.m. and it's almost 9 a.m. and I feel slightly hungover. I'm going to try it again tonight, but sleeping through the night might not be worth it. I can't believe some reviews say it's not effective because it immediately made me sleepy!"