Pharmacist Jacob Fuchs explains how Ambien can trigger complex sleep behaviors like sleepwalking and driving with no memory of it afterward. People have died during these episodes, and it can happen even to those who've taken the drug safely before. If it happens to you, stop the medication and tell your doctor immediately.
Imagine waking up, finding out you drove somewhere last night. The problem is, all you remember was going to sleep. That's a real side effect associated with zolpidem, better known as Ambien. Ambien is supposed to help you fall asleep. It works by enhancing GABA activity in the brain, basically turning down activity in your nervous system. Usually you take it, you fall asleep, end of story. But in rare cases, people can have what the FDA calls complex sleep behaviors. That means people have gotten out of bed, walked around, cooked food, eaten, made phone calls, calls, and yes, even driven cars while they were fully awake. And afterward, they may remember absolutely nothing. Honestly, most of the time they remember absolutely nothing, which is pretty incredible for a medication whose entire job description is basically stay in bed. Your brain went to sleep, your body apparently had other plans. And this is not just a funny Ambien story. People have been seriously injured during these episodes, and deaths have been recorded. It can also happen if you've taken Ambien before and never had a problem. If you wake up and discover you made a 7-course meal Texted your ex, and somehow moved your Honda 3 miles down the road. Do not just shrug and blame the sleep. You might want to call the pharmacist, and that's something your doctor probably also needs to know about. And if you experience one of these complex sleep behaviors, the FDA recommends stopping the medication because a sleeping pill should help you sleep. It should not unlock a secret nighttime version of you with access to your car keys. I'm a pharmacist, and I read the side effects so you don't have to find out what your unconscious alter ego has planned.
