Ambien for insomnia treatments
Another tiring day with no intention to sleep? Insomnia is a sleep disorder that does not allow people to sleep. If you can no longer fall asleep or sleep as long as you like, you can relate to Insomnia. The doctor may use Ambien for insomnia treatment if you suffer from such issues.
It does not occur if you don’t sleep properly for a day; however, if you frequently ignore sleep for a longer time, the risk of getting Insomnia is significantly increased.
Insomnia comes with daytime sleepiness, irritability, low energy, and a depressive mood.
“Hello darkness, my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again.” -Paul Simon
Many causes do not allow you to sleep, which leads to Insomnia:
- Chronic pain
- Sleep breathing disorders.
- Poor sleep hygiene
- Heart disease
- Stress
- Lifestyle choices
These are some of the general causes of Insomnia; however, other reasons are not mentioned above.
Therefore, the question arises: should you use Ambien for insomnia treatment?
But first, let’s talk about what Ambien is and how it helps insomnia treatment.
What is Ambien?
Ambien is a prescription medicine that helps people have fast and uninterrupted sleep. This is soothing medicine that works in the brain to provide calm and relaxation that helps in inducing sleep in people.
It also comes in a generic name called zolpidem which belongs to a drug category known as sedative-hypnotics.
Ambien helps people sleep faster, and there is another form called Ambien CR, a controlled release variant that works longer and enables you to get uninterrupted sleep.
It is a schedule IV controlled substance according to the Drugs Act. This indicates that Ambien can become habit-forming and create physical and mental dependence on this drug.
Therefore you can only get Ambien for insomnia treatment if you have a valid prescription with you.
How does Ambien help with insomnia treatment?
Sleep is a crucial part of our body that needs to recharge to work the next day properly. Ambien works in the Central nervous system and reduces the activity in the brain, thus, helps people feel calm and sleep.
It increases the GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) chemicals in the brain, reducing the activity in the neurons that do not allow you to sleep.
This medicine comes in different forms; the immediate release (IR) version is a quick-acting drug that helps you sleep faster, whereas there is a controlled-release (CR) version of Ambien that allows you to fall asleep for a longer time duration.
Forms and dosage of Ambien
Ambien comes in different forms and dosages. The doctor usually starts Ambien for insomnia treatment with the lowest dose and gradually increases after evaluation.
You can only use Ambien as a short-term treatment for Insomnia. However, women advised that they should take a lower dose because the hangover issues the following day are more profound and increase the risk of an accident.
It comes in different strengths mentioned below:
- Ambien 5mg or 10 mg
- Ambien CR 6.5mg or 12.5mg
Also, the dosage of this medicine depends upon your condition and the severity of the issue; you should carefully follow the instructions given by your doctor for the best results.
How to take Ambien?
You must take Ambien for insomnia treatment properly because it is potent medicine and can create severe side effects that can harm you mentally and physically.
There are some general guidelines that you should follow while taking Ambien:
- Read all the medicine-related information provided in your medical guide.
- Consume Ambien as initiated by your doctor.
- Do not increase the dose or stop taking Ambien without the doctor’s consent.
- Avoid taking Ambien if you are not planning to sleep for at least 7-8 hours.
- Avoid crushing or chewing this medicine because it can change the behavior of the drug.
- Withdrawal symptoms can occur if you suddenly stop this medicine after taking it for a long time.
- Ensure your doctor if the medication stops working or the condition worsens.
These are some of the general guidelines that can help you reduce the side effects of the drug. However, you should not use this medicine for recreational purposes because the risk of severe side effects increases.
What are the adverse effects of Ambien?
Like with any other medicine, Ambien also has side effects that can occur to you. The side effects are categorized into two categories called:
Mild side effects
Mild side effects generally occur when your body is not adapted to the impact of the medicine. They don’t require special medical attention until they worsen or stay longer than two weeks.
- Headache
- Back pain
- Dizziness
- Tiredness
- Constipation
- Daytime drowsiness
- Nausea
- Muscle pain
- Loss of coordination
Severe side effects
Severe side effects require immediate medical attention because these side effects can severely harm your physical and mental health. Therefore call your doctor right away if you see any of these symptoms occurring:
- Memory loss
- Mental or mood changes
- Suicidal thoughts
- Hallucination
- Chest pain
- Fast or irregular heartbeats
- Trouble breathing
- Feeling that you may pass out
- Shortness of breath
Note: The list of side effects mentioned above is not complete; therefore, you should contact your doctor immediately if you feel any unusual effects occurring.
Why does Ambien not work sometimes?
Ambien is not made for an extended period because your body adapts this medicine, and it does not show any effect.
The doctors can only prescribe you for 6 weeks because more than that increases the risk of addiction and physical dependence.
Studies have shown that Ambien also shows effects late if taken on a full stomach because your metabolism gets slow at that point in time, making it difficult to process the medicine.
Conclusion
To conclude, Ambien for insomnia treatment is an effective way to get rid of sleep disorders and restore your healthy sleep disorder.
However, you should make sure that you use this medicine properly because there are many adverse effects. Therefore, make sure that you discuss everything about the risks and benefits with your doctor.
