Ambien and Lunesta – Prescription Sleeping Pills
Ambien and Lunesta are two of the most widely used prescription sleeping pills. The market for prescription sleeping medications has exploded in recent years with the development of pills such as Ambien and Lunesta that cause little or no adverse side effects. The two medications are slightly different in their composition and effect, but each boasts a restful sleep without the grogginess that accompanied older sleeping aids. As opposed to the tranquilizing sedatives commonly prescribed in years past, Ambien and Lunesta leave the user feeling more crisp and aware once the medication has run its course.
Ambien, chemically known as zolpidem, is considered a hypnotic sedative. The aim of an hypnotic is to manipulate the chemicals in the brain, as opposed to slowing body systems. Insomnia is due in part to a chemical imbalance that can be rectified, or at least tempered, by the use of hypnotic sedatives such as Ambien. The medication is manufactured in both an immediate release and extended release form. For sufferers of insomnia who find relief from immediate release pills only to wake later in the night or very early morning, an extended release formula would provide greater benefit. The extended release form, known as Ambien Cr, releases a dose of fast acting medication to instigate sleep, followed by a steady dose of the chemical for continued restful sleep.
Lunesta is also a hypnotic sedative, known chemically as ezopiclone. Lunesta will work in the same manner as Ambien in the sense that the aim is to balance chemicals causing insomnia. The differences between Lunesta and Ambien, aside from differences in dosage, seem to be minimal at this point in research. Ambien has proven among many patients to lose its effectiveness after approximately 35 days of continuous use. Lunesta has proven effective for as long as 6 months when used in the same fashion. For either medication, continuous use is only recommended for the most severe cases of insomnia. The medications are generally prescribed for short-term use to fix temporary insomnia.
Though the reported side effects of Ambien and Lunesta are far less significant than those from the last generation of sleep aids, there are still occurences in a small number of users. The most common negative effects reported from Ambien are activities similar to sleep-walking, where patients execute tasks they would normally perform during waking hours, and have no recollection of the task. Instances of sleep-walking have not been reported in significant numbers by patients on Lunesta, though users of Lunestsa report night-waking more often than those on Ambien.
