One of the worst conditions to be experienced by people today is the disruption of their sleep patterns. This leads to several rest-related problems, the least is insomnia. This is mainly why so many people are dependent on medications that help them sleep.
One such medication is Zolpidem, which is commercially marketed under the brand name Ambien. Ambien belongs to the class of medications known as sedative-hypnotics, which induce a state of rest or sedation by irritability or excitement. This basically slows down brain activity so that a person is able to enter a state of rest.
Unfortunately, Ambien also happens to be quite habit-forming for a lot of people. This is why Ambien addiction is also a major concern for many physicians who need to prescribe to those with sleeping disorders.
What Is Ambien and Why Do People Use It?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a statement saying that as of 2021, at least 70 million Americans suffer from one form of chronic sleeping disorder or another. This is important to note because lack of sleep and the resulting fatigue and cognitive impairment resulting from lack of sleep is associated with injuries, accidents, poor quality of life, chronic diseases, and mental illnesses.
The resulting fatigue and cognitive impairment from lack of sleep is also associated with increased health care costs and low or lost work productivity. This condition is also largely connected to people developing chronic conditions where they had none, such as obesity and even depression.
This is why medications that help in treating sleep problems, such as Ambien, are largely used by people with such a disorder. As a sleep disorder treatment, Ambien helps in improving sleep onset, onset latency, and staying asleep. Ambien, however, much like other sedative-hypnotics, should only be used in short-term treatment.
What Are the Side Effects of Using Ambien?
Ambien is a medication that helps people sleep by slowing brain activity. As such, it does come with side effects that are largely associated with sleepiness, feeling deeply relaxed, and a marked slowing of the cognitive functions of the brain, and of the motor functions of the body as well.
There are also other side effects to it, including: