I used to take Ambien a long time ago when I was working the swing shift 3pm to 11pm at a nationwide mortgage company. The commute each way was about 40 minutes and I never got off and left right at 11pm.

I worked in the data center and 90% of the time I’d be at work past midnight. If I was lucky I’d get home before 1am. Then I had to eat, relax, take a shower and somehow “wind down” enough to fall asleep.

This is when my sleeping problems began. Before I knew anything about natural health, blue light, and circadian rhythms I began taking Ambien from time to time.

I was around 21 or 22 when I did this. I figured why should I not take a prescription medication like Ambien? They wouldn’t approve a drug like this if it was harmful.

I thought if it’s available in a pharmacy or as a prescription from a doctor, it has to be safe right?

Right?

Little did I know at the time. I was young and trusted authorities of all kinds. I had no idea how the world really worked and didn’t consider it my responsibility to know what I’m putting in my body. My body, my choice right?

It goes both ways and applies to men and women.

So let’s talk a little about Ambien aka Zolpidem.

Industry & Profit Margin

As we’ve seen roughly 1 in 3 Americans have insomnia or some form of sleep issue. This means dollar signs to pharmaceutical companies. So how many people take Ambien or other sleep related medications? We know that between 2005 and 2010 roughly 4% of US adults took Ambien.

Cha-Ching!

This comes from Forbes…

The $1.6 billion annual U.S. market for insomnia drugs is largely served by generics that all work on the brain in the same way.

• Ambien
  Annual prescriptions: 40 million
  Prescribed four times more often than closest competitor.
• Temazepam/Restoril
  Annual prescriptions: 8.5 million
  Approved in 1981, and originally marketed by Sandoz, now part of Novartis.
• Ambien CR
  Annual prescriptions: 4.7 million
  Sustained release Ambien, including generic versions.
• Lunesta
  Annual prescriptions: 4.3 million
  The only successful nongeneric sleep drug on the market.
• Triazolam/Halcion
  Annual prescriptions: 1.2 million
  Once the biggest sleep drug in the country, now rarely used.
• Rozerem
  Annual prescriptions: 379,000
  New type of sleep drug foundered when found to be ineffective.

As you can see there are dollar signs in the eyes of the companies that provide these pills to you. You have to ask yourself, are they more concerned about the health of your organs than they are in profits?

Do the CEO of said corporations really care about how you sleep?

Or are they concerned with getting you to take their products for a long, long time?

The answer to these questions is of course no. They don’t care how healthy you are. All they care about in relation to your sleep is that you sleep bad and you sleep bad a lot.

Now that we know they don’t care about your,  your health or your sleep (as long as its bad) let’s dive into what’s in this stuff?

What’s Inside These Pills?

Chemical Ingredients in Ambien (Zolpidem)

As with all drugs Ambien contains both active and inactive ingredients. The active ingredient is Zolpidem tartrate. What is that you say?

Here is a detailed breakdown:

• Zolpidem Tartrate:
  • Chemical Formula: C19H21N3O
  • Molecular Weight: 307.39 g/mol
  • Structure:
    • Zolpidem is an imidazopyridine derivative, structurally different from benzodiazepines but functionally similar in terms of its sedative-hypnotic effects.

Inactive Ingredients:

The specific formulation of Ambien may include various inactive ingredients that can differ based on the manufacturer and the formulation (e.g., immediate-release vs. extended-release). Common inactive ingredients found in Ambien tablets include:

1. Microcrystalline Cellulose:
   • Used as a filler or binder in the tablet formulation.
2. Lactose Monohydrate:
   • A sugar used as a filler or to add bulk to the tablet.
3. Hypromellose:
   • A polymer used as a binder, film former, or to control the release of the active ingredient.
4. Polyethylene Glycol:
   • Used as a solvent or to improve the consistency and texture of the tablet.
5. Magnesium Stearate:
   • A lubricant that prevents the ingredients from sticking to manufacturing equipment during production.
6. Sodium Starch Glycolate:
   • A disintegrant that helps the tablet dissolve in the gastrointestinal tract.
7. Titanium Dioxide:
   • Used as a pigment to give the tablet its white color.
8. Hydroxypropyl Cellulose:
   • Used as a binder and to help control the release of the active ingredient.
9. FD&C Red No. 40:
   • A coloring agent used in some formulations of Ambien to give the tablet a distinctive appearance.

Summary:

• Active Ingredient: Zolpidem tartrate, responsible for the therapeutic effects of Ambien.
• Inactive Ingredients: Various excipients and additives, including microcrystalline cellulose, lactose monohydrate, hypromellose, polyethylene glycol, magnesium stearate, sodium starch glycolate, titanium dioxide, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and FD&C Red No. 40.

How Do They Work? – Mechanisms of Action

It’s hard to know exactly how some of these chemicals work once inside the human body. One thing we know for sure is that there are no double blind placebo controlled human studies on people taking more than one medication at a time. The average insomniac taking Ambien is most likely also taking other prescription drugs or over the counter medications that also alter human physiology.

Regardless here’s what I was able to gather

“Zolpidem, marketed as Ambien, works primarily by enhancing the activity of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. GABA is a naturally occurring chemical that promotes relaxation and sleep by inhibiting certain brain signals.

Zolpidem acts as an agonist at the GABA-A receptor, specifically binding to a subset of GABA-A receptors. This binding increases the efficiency of GABAergic inhibition of neuronal activity, thereby promoting sedation and facilitating the onset of sleep. Unlike older benzodiazepines, zolpidem has a relatively high affinity for GABA-A receptors containing the α1 subunit, which is believed to be largely responsible for its sedative effects rather than effects on muscle relaxation or anti-anxiety, making it more specific in its sleep-inducing action. This selectivity helps in reducing the likelihood of some side effects associated with older benzodiazepines.”

Ambien,  is a sedative-hypnotic medication primarily used for the short-term treatment of insomnia. It belongs to a class of medications called non-benzodiazepine hypnotics, often referred to as “Z-drugs.”

How Ambien Works:

1. Binding to GABA Receptors:
   • Ambien acts on the central nervous system by binding to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, specifically the GABA-A subtype.
   • GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. By binding to GABA-A receptors, Ambien enhances the effects of GABA, leading to increased neuronal inhibition.
2. Sedative Effects:
   • The enhanced GABA activity results in sedation, muscle relaxation, anxiolysis (reduction of anxiety), and anticonvulsant effects.
   • This helps in reducing the time it takes to fall asleep and increases the duration of sleep.

Organs Impacted Negatively by Ambien

1. Liver:
   • Metabolism: Ambien is metabolized primarily in the liver. Chronic use or high doses can lead to hepatic strain or liver damage, particularly in individuals with pre-existing liver conditions.
   • Enzyme Induction: The liver enzymes that metabolize Ambien can be induced or inhibited by other medications, potentially leading to liver toxicity or impaired drug clearance.
2. Kidneys:
   • Excretion: The metabolites of Ambien are excreted by the kidneys. Prolonged use can affect renal function, especially in individuals with pre-existing kidney conditions.
3. Central Nervous System (CNS):
   • Dependence and Withdrawal: Long-term use can lead to physical and psychological dependence. Sudden discontinuation after prolonged use can cause withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, tremors, and seizures.
   • Cognitive and Motor Impairment: Ambien can cause side effects like dizziness, confusion, and impaired coordination, increasing the risk of falls and accidents.
4. Cardiovascular System:
   • Heart Rate and Blood Pressure: While rare, some users may experience changes in heart rate and blood pressure, potentially leading to cardiovascular issues.
5. Respiratory System:
   • Respiratory Depression: High doses or use in combination with other CNS depressants (such as alcohol or opioids) can lead to respiratory depression, a serious and potentially fatal condition.

Ambien is effective for treating insomnia by enhancing GABA activity in the brain, leading to sedative effects. However, its use can negatively impact several organs, particularly the liver, kidneys, central nervous system, cardiovascular system, and respiratory system. In my opinion it is important to only use Ambien under medical supervision, especially in people with pre-existing health conditions, to mitigate these extreme risks.

Many times when people I talk to take drugs like this, I always look for the mechanism of action. You can typically look this up on Wikipedia. If you understand how a drug works, you can find the natural substance a drug was synthesized from and take that instead.

All drugs are, are chemicals that are isolated, synthesized, and concentrated in extremely high amounts in a way Nature never intended.

This is why there are side effects or what I like to call simply the effects. When a natural substance is found in nature it also contains the other minerals and compounds in the correct proportion to avoid toxicity. But when you isolate one chemical from nature and then remove it from all of the other compounds and then hyper concentrate it, that’s a recipe for disaster.

Speaking of the side effects let’s dive in..

Side Effects

As I said before, drugs don’t have “side effects” they simply have effects. The term side effect was developed after the Flexner Report was used to demonize natural medicines. The idea was to imply that a side effect is something not worth really addressing. It was simply a small inconvenience that would go away with continued use.

When your body has a “side effect” it means that it’s responding to a toxic overload of something that cannot be processed by your organs of elimination. As a result your body does the best job it can in order to protect your long term health.

You could say the side effect of eating a Standard American Diet is obesity. Where does the body choose to store the fat? Around your hips, butt, legs and arms in order to prevent the excess weight from being stored on your heart, brain or lungs.

Your body, in its infinite wisdom is doing what it can to protect you.

In the same way when taking sleeping pills like Ambien, it’s protecting you from death which results in “side effects.” Don’t let anybody lie to you about side effects. Drugs negatively affect the long term health and longevity of the human organism.

Here are the “effects” of Ambien:

• Behavioral changes: Depression, suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, confusion, agitation, aggressive behavior, anxiety, irritability, and hostility
• Sleep behaviors: Complex sleep behaviors, sleepwalking, or other activities performed while asleep (parasomnias)
• Cognitive changes: Memory loss, anterograde amnesia, and abnormal thinking
• Vision changes: Blurry vision, seeing halos around lights, and vision loss
• CNS depression: Slow or shallow breathing, shortness of breath, feeling faint, dizziness, and difficulty staying awake
• Allergic reactions: Rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, severe dizziness, and trouble breathing

5 Dangerous Reasons To Avoid – Ambien

If you’re okay with the side effects of Ambien, then that’s on you. Here are some other more serious considerations you should think about before taking a medication like this.

• Skin Cancer – Study
• Suicide – Study – Study
• Hallucinations & Delirium – Study
• Risks of Infections – Study
• Pregnancy – Study
• Dementia – Study
• Driving – Study
• Addiction – Addiction
• Psychotic Reactions – Study
• Eating Disorders – Study

What to do instead of taking sleeping pills

Changing and optimizing your circadian rhythm is step number one that I recommend to all people. The folks that talk about CBT-I, Sleep Hygiene or ACT-I or other sleep therapy programs simply give lip service without sharing the science of how some of these actually work.

That is something I’ll be diving more into in future articles.

On top of regulating sleep environment, embracing electrons and photons from nature in an unprotected way, there are nutritional imbalances at play too.

If you feel like you’ve “tried everything” and nothing has worked, there’s still so much you can do. Many people don’t do the right things when they think they’ve “tried” everything.

For example, they say they tried melatonin and it didn’t work. But if you took it at the wrong time, in the wrong way, in minimal dosages then it will not work. Melatonin isn’t a sleeping pill. It’s a circadian rhythms antioxidant regulator, very different.

If you took melatonin and looked at a blue lit computer screen after (even for 1 second) it will not work.

Most likely you’ve tried lots of things but you’re doing them all wrong.

To sum it up, have taken Ambien before? If so, what was your reaction to it?

Comment below and let us know.