[Peanut]

Hello,

I was prescribed 10mg of Ambien but I am only taking 5mg, I cut the pill in half. That 5mg gives me 4 hours of sleep. If I take the full 10mg will it cause me to sleep longer, or is the higher dosage just for those who feel no effect on 5mg.

Thanks

[Scott]

Hi Peanut!

Welcome to the forum and posting a question! Sleep medicine rarely has a positive long-term effect on restoring restful sleep since meds can’t generate natural sleep. I’d recommend asking your physician or pharmacist about dosage.

Scott J

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If you are ready to stop struggling with insomnia you can enroll in the online insomnia coaching course right now! If you would prefer ongoing phone or video coaching calls as part of a powerful three month program that will help you reclaim your life from insomnia, consider applying for the Insomnia Mastery program.

The content of this post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

[Chee2308]

Hi Peanut,
I concur with Scott on this one because I went through it myself. I took 5mg Ambien like you did, didn’t feel the slightest hint of sleepiness then out of frustration, took the other 5mg which also didn’t work either. Just made me drowsy but not sleepy. I then realise it wasn’t those pills that made me sleepy, it was staying awake long enough! Back then, I was trying to sleep after being awake for just 10-12 hours, for normal people, a good level of sleepiness sets in after being awake for 16-18 hours. Try going to bed after being awake that long, you may find you actually CAN and WILL sleep without meds at all. I wouldn’t recommend using sleeping pills to sleep because of the extreme grogginess you get the next day. Sometimes it’s even worse than not having slept at all because meds obliterates the deepest and most restorative stage of sleep, preventing your brain from reaching this stage and hence you feel tired and lethargic no matter how long you slept.

[Martin Reed]

As has already been pointed out, it’s best to discuss medication with your prescribing physician. What I would like to add is that since no medication can generate sleep, the four hours of sleep you get after taking 5mg of Ambien is still sleep that your body is generating all by itself!

Medication can generate sedation and medication can help lower that initial obstacle to sleep (often worry about sleep) but the only thing that generates sleep is our own biological sleep drive!

When we have been awake for long enough, we will always sleep.

—

If you are ready to stop struggling with insomnia you can enroll in the online insomnia coaching course right now! If you would prefer ongoing phone or video coaching calls as part of a powerful three month program that will help you reclaim your life from insomnia, consider applying for the Insomnia Mastery program.

The content of this post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

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