Zolpidem (Ambien) finally sleep through the night

Fall asleep quickly, sleep through the night – that’s what the so-called Z-substances promise. The active ingredient zolpidem also belongs to the sleeping pills from this group.

This can be prescribed by the doctor for severe sleep disorders and insomnia if the patient’s quality of life is severely reduced. The active ingredient is often used even after acute trauma. It is all the more important to treat the causes of insomnia and not just to suppress them with a sleeping pill. This is especially true for those who have been suffering from sleep disorders for a long time.

How and in what dosage is Zolpidem taken?

The medication is taken in the evening with some liquid just before bedtime. Since the medicine increases the risk of falling in older patients, they should be taken in bed if possible. The usual dose of zolpidem is one 10 mg tablet. People with liver damage or the elderly usually take half a tablet, i.e. 5 mg. The dose prescribed by the doctor should never be exceeded, even if tolerance develops. If an overdose nevertheless occurs, this can be noticeable through severe visual disturbances, pronounced confusion, dizziness and loss of consciousness. If there is a suspicion of an overdose by Z-drugs, a doctor must be consulted immediately. Generally, the sleeping pill should only be taken for a few days. The maximum duration of intake is two weeks.

When and how does the zolpidem active ingredient work?

The active ingredient from the group of Z substances has a sleep-promoting effect and works within a few minutes. As a GABA agonist, he shortens the time to fall asleep by docking in the brain at special binding sites, the so-called GABA receptor complex, and thereby promoting the influx of the calming messenger substance GABA into the central nervous system. As a result, the entire organism comes to rest and becomes sleepy. However, it is broken down just as quickly as the medicine is taken up. The half-life of the substance is approximately two to four hours. The metabolites (metabolites) broken down in the liver are ineffective for the body and are excreted through urine and stool. Due to the short half-life, daytime tiredness is relatively unlikely the next day.

What are the side effects of zolpidem?

The Zolpidem active ingredient does not always provide calming and healthy sleep, sometimes there may also be undesirable side effects. Typical Stilnox® or Zolpidem side effects are:

• Headache and dizziness
  Nausea and vomiting
  Abdominal pain and gastrointestinal discomfort
  Gaps in memory (anterograde amnesia)
  Vision problems (e.g. double vision)
  respiratory disorders
  muscle weakness