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Ambien is a sleep aid, used for the short-term treatment of insomnia. It is commonly prescribed in cases of trouble falling asleep, waking up often during the night, or waking up too early in the morning. Ambien is usually not used for a period longer than 7-10 days.

Take each dose with a full glass of water just before bed time. It will make you drowsy, so do not take your dose too long before you are ready for sleep. Do not take more than is prescribed for you. If you have been taking Ambien for several weeks, do not quit suddenly; it may cause withdrawal symptoms.

Store at room temp. away from sunlight and moisture. Keep out of the reach of children.

If you miss a dose, skip it and take the next dose as scheduled.

Side effects with Ambien are rare; the most common ones include drowsiness, dizziness, and diarrhea. When you first start taking Ambien, use caution in the morning when engaging in activities requiring complete alertness until you know how you will react to this medication. Memory problems can usually be avoided if you take Ambien only when you are able to get a full night's sleep (7 to 8 hours) before you need to be active again. Stop taking Ambien and seek emergency medical attention if you experience an allergic reaction, hallucinations, abnormal behavior, or severe confusion.

Ambien may increase the effects of other drugs that cause drowsiness, such as other sedatives, alcohol, antidepressants, antihistamines, and pain relievers. There may be other interactions. Consult with your physician if you are taking any other medications.

Do not increase the prescribed dose of any sleep medicine unless instructed by your physicain. Use any sleep medicine only as directed by your physicain. Follow your physicain's instructions about how, when, and for how long to take this medicine. Never use the medicine for a longer period than your physicain specifies.

Sanofi-Synthelabo Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of the global pharmaceutical company sanofi-aventis.