- With Mayo Clinic sleep specialist
Eric J. Olson, M.D.
Causes (1)
- Late-day exercise: Can it cause insomnia?
Complications (1)
- Lack of sleep: Can it make you sick?
Treatments and drugs (2)
- Ambien: Is dependence a concern?
- Sleep aids: Could antihistamines help me sleep?
Lifestyle and home remedies (6)
- Insomnia: How do I stay asleep?
- Foods that help you sleep
- Melatonin side effects: What are the risks?
- see all in Lifestyle and home remedies
Alternative medicine (1)
- Valerian: A safe and effective herbal sleep aid?
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Question
Ambien: Is dependence a concern?
My doctor prescribed Ambien, and it's worked great for me. But I'm afraid I might become dependent on it. Is that likely?
Answer
from Eric J. Olson, M.D.
It's unlikely you'll become dependent on zolpidem (Ambien). Ambien and similar sleep medications are effective and are much less likely to be habit-forming than are some other drugs sometimes prescribed for sleep problems — for example, benzodiazepines such as lorazepam (Ativan) or flurazepam (Dalmane).
However, relying on a sleep medication generally isn't the best long-term solution for insomnia. Medications can mask an underlying problem that needs treatment. They can also cause side effects. For example, some people who take Ambien and similar medications such as eszopiclone (Lunesta) do things while asleep that they don't remember — such as driving, or preparing and eating food. In rare cases, these medications may trigger a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).
Sleep medications can be useful in the short term — but the best approach is to address whatever's causing your sleep problems in the first place. If you still have trouble sleeping, other therapies include learning new sleep habits, getting counseling for anxiety or other psychological concerns and using stress-reduction techniques.
Next questionSleep aids: Could antihistamines help me sleep?
- Zammit G. Comparative tolerability of newer agents for insomnia. Drug Safety. 2009;32:735.
- Krystal A, et al. Long-term efficacy and safety of zolpidem extended-release 12.5 mg, administered 3 to 7 nights per week for 24 weeks, in patients with chronic primary insomnia: A 6-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicenter study. Sleep. 2008;31:79.
- Bonnet MH, et al. Treatment of insomnia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 26, 2010.
- Ambien (prescribing information). Bridgewater, N.J.: Sanofi-aventis; 2009. http://products.sanofi-aventis.us/ambien_cr/ambiencr.html. Accessed March 26, 2010.
- Sleep disorder (sedative-hypnotic) drug information. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm101557.htm. Accessed March 26, 2010.
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