Ambien is a brand-name prescription drug (generic name: zolpidem) used for the short-term treatment of insomnia
Stay awake on Ambien is a sedative, also called a hypnotic. Ambien affects chemicals in the brain that may be out of balance in people with sleep disorders (insomnia). Rapid-release tablets are used at bedtime to help you fall asleep. Sustained release Ambien CR has a first layer that quickly dissolves into sleep and a second layer that slowly dissolves into sleep.
Ambien inhibits the brain's natural activity, increasing drowsiness to intense sedation and rest. Those who take Ambien and are forced to wake up are much more likely to engage in unconscious behaviors and not remember them.
