Ambien (zolpidem ) vs melatonin:which is better treatment for severe insomnia?

Introduction

Insomnia refers to the inability to sleep,a simple way to say it’s a sleeping disorder.Day by day cases of insomnia are increasing.It’s a public health problem.This may happen due to various issues such as lifestyle changes,health issues,medications etc.

Around half of the world population is suffering from insomnia.Most of them are students or adults of age around 30.Students may suffer from it due to their hectic study schedule and adults due to their hectic daily work routine.People may suffer from severe insomnia. When conditions worsen people seek help and consult a doctor.Doctors prescribe them medications such as ambien and melatonin pills.

What is ambien (zolpidem)?

Ambien is a prescription based drug.It’s used for the treatment of insomnia.It has a sedative effect.It works on the neurotransmitter.It slows down brain activity.This helps in inducing sleep.

What is melatonin?

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland.It is a natural hormone which works in response to darkness.It regulates the sleep wake cycle.There are various pharmaceutical companies who make synthetic melatonin tablets.They help to induce sleep. It works for mild sleep issues.

Brief on severe insomnia

Insomnia is a sleeping disorder. Severe chronic insomnia refers to sleepless nights for more than 3 days.Patients have zero signs of sleep.This problem may accompany day time fatigue and mood changes.

There are few highlighted symptoms such as

• Having difficulties in falling asleep.
• Feeling tired after waking up from sleep
• Very poor concentration throughout the day
• Depression
• Irritation
• Anger issues

The most basic treatment for severe insomnia is therapies, sleep inducing supplements and medications.

Melatonin works as a natural remedy for it.As we know melatonin is not a synthetic hormone.The pineal gland of our body produces this hormone.It controls the sleep wake cycle of our body which is also called the circadian rhythm.It is good for jet lag,delayed sleep phase syndrome,and mild insomnia.

The main difference is that ambien gets you to sleep immediately while melatonin doesn’t.

Ambien vs melatonin:Give a clinical comparison

A clinical trial proves ambien better than melatonin but it does have its own pros and cons. Ambien increases total sleep time and helps to get relief from severe insomnia while melatonin lacks the power to get rid or get relief from severe chronic insomnia.Ambien is a good medication for urgent relief , while melatonin is good for long term circadian rhythm regulation.

What are the side effects and common risks related to ambien?

Though, it is effective but it has severe side-effects which can affect if misused or taken for long term such as

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Nausea
• Agitation
• Memory loss
• Confusion
• Withdrawal insomnia

Ambien vs melatonin: which one to prefer?

Ambien and Melatonin both are sleep inducing supplements.But ambien has its pros and cons while melatonin is still a safer supplement to prefer but has its limitations.

Ambien targets GABA A neurotransmitter. It slows down brain activity.This induces sleep.It promotes relaxation and sedation helps to relax muscles or seizure attacks. It also reduces anxiety.

Recommended Dosage- for adult women 3.5-5 mg after dinner before bedtime.For adult men 7.5-10 mg after dinner before bedtime.For elderly patients 3.5 mg or less recommended. It is a short term prescription based medication.

Physical dependency

FDA has issued a serious warning regarding sleep behaviour due to consumption of ambien. This also included injuries,seizure and accident happening due to un consciousness while driving,eating and walking.

What are the side effects of melatonin?

Melatonin is safer as compared to ambien but it still have some common side effects such as

• Dizziness
• Mild headache
• Daytime fatigue
• Daytime drowsiness
• Mild mood changes

It does not cause severe side effects as compared to ambien such as dependency and withdrawal symptoms.It’s a good choice for elderly people and its long term usage is not harmful.

What are the guidelines for the treatment of insomnia?

American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommend-

• Doctors recommend Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-I) as first line treatment.
• Ambien usage for short term.
• Usage of melatonin for jet lags and circadian rhythm disorder.
• Elderly people should avoid sedative drugs and hypnotic substances.
• Can a person use both ambien and melatonin for insomnia treatment?
• Few doctors do recommend a combination of ambien and melatonin but under safe usage.
• Use ambien for severe insomnia
• Then shift to melatonin and CBT-I
• Maintain usage of melatonin and CBT-I for a longer period.

This will help in minimizing the usage of ambien and it’s withdrawal insomnia.

Natural insomnia remedies

There are few natural remedies which help to treat insomnia such as

• Roots of valerian – it gives mild Sedative effect
• Magnesium – it provides relaxation
• Oil of lavender – it helps in calming nervous system used as aromatherapy
• Cognitive behavioral therapy-I.

Case study

Case report: this case deals with ambien dependence in a middle aged woman .

A 49 years old middle aged woman began using Ambien due to insomnia issues during the High Stress period at work. In the starting she took 5 mg , then increased to 15 mg due to ineffectiveness. After six months she started experiencing

• Mood swings
• Poor memory
• Severe insomnia when she missed a dose

Doctors diagnosis – addiction of ambien

Detox therapy and less sedative medicine followed by CBT-I and later melatonin prescription to reset natural rhythms.

Conclusion

It’s a tough competition between ambien vs melatonin.It depends on the individual to choose between them, due to individual sleep problems.Ambien may provide relief ,but for a while, that is for a short period.

Long term usage may lead to severe health problems.Melatonin is often prescribed for mild insomnia.It has zero side effects and long term usage is not harmful.Although there are many natural remedies and other alternatives.Ambien dosage should be under doctor’s guidance as it may have ambien withdrawal insomnia.There are various side effects related to ambien but melatonin has zero side effects and long term usage is not harmful.