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Ambien and Sonata are two newer medications for sleep that
appear to have less potential for addiction than other sleep medicines
(such as the benzodiazepines).
Still, this question has not been fully answered it is controversial
whether these medicines can cause dependence if taken for a long time (such
as more than three months). When
taking them for sleep, I recommend following sleep guidelines to reduce the
risk of becoming dependent on them.
Ambien and Sonata are similar medicines which differ mainly
in how fast they leave the body.
Sonata leaves relatively quickly (within a few hours), so it is less
likely to cause tiredness in the morning and can be taken if you wake up in
the middle of the night. Both
medicines start to work 30-60 minutes after taking them, and you should
avoid doing anything that requires concentration or coordination after
taking them. Do not take them with
alcohol.
This page is under construction. Meanwhile, you can use this
link to learn more about these drugs:
Index of
Drug Information
Updated 6/1/4 by Chris Aiken,
M.D.
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