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Can Ambien Cause Anxiety?
Question: Hello - I have taken perscribed 5mg of Ambien for 12 consecutive nights for jet lag. I have concluded that it is causing me constant anxiety during the day and has already lost effectiveness at night. I wish to discontinue. How long should I experience the anxiety after such short use? May I use Valerian Root at night to help sleep until the anxiety is gone? Thank you!
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Yes, Ambien can cause daytime anxiety and agitation. Usually it resolves after it is out of your system, within 72 hours. But sleep problems after stopping Ambien can last for a week.
Jet lag doesn't usually last 12 days/nights. Melatonin can be used to reset your sleep clock for 1-3 nights if you travel in the future.
Valerian can sometimes help for sleep, but in some people it can cause excitability, which you don't want. If you are having anxiety now in addition to insomnia, I wouldn't suggest this as the way to go.
If you are feeling anxiety or agitation type symptoms at night (in addition to daytime) which is interfering with your sleep, I recommend a benzodiazepine such as lorazepam or alprazolam. They are both anti-anxiety and sedating. These 2 benzodiazepines are short acting, so they would just be used at night for sleep. But if you are feeling anxious all day, you may need a longer acting form of lorazepam called clonazepam. This will help settle you throughout the day.
Sometimes when people are suffering from anxiety and try to treat just their sleep at night with medication, the daytime anxiety spills over into feeling tense at night which makes it harder to sleep even with nighttime meds. That's why I mention treating the anxiety during the daytime too.
Some people use older antihistamines that are sedating for sleep, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl). These are not anti-anxiety meds, but can be sleep inducing in some people.
I recommend you go in to talk with your doctor for help with this and probably a prescription for a benzodiazepine.
I am sorry you had this trouble with Ambien. I did too, many years ago. Sonata (another sleep medicine) was even worse. So I can understand what you may be going through.
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Yes, Ambien can cause daytime anxiety and agitation. Usually it resolves after it is out of your system, within 72 hours. But sleep problems after stopping Ambien can last for a week.
Jet lag doesn't usually last 12 days/nights. Melatonin can be used to reset your sleep clock for 1-3 nights if you travel in the future.
Valerian can sometimes help for sleep, but in some people it can cause excitability, which you don't want. If you are having anxiety now in addition to insomnia, I wouldn't suggest this as the way to go.
If you are feeling anxiety or agitation type symptoms at night (in addition to daytime) which is interfering with your sleep, I recommend a benzodiazepine such as lorazepam or alprazolam. They are both anti-anxiety and sedating. These 2 benzodiazepines are short acting, so they would just be used at night for sleep. But if you are feeling anxious all day, you may need a longer acting form of lorazepam called clonazepam. This will help settle you throughout the day.
Sometimes when people are suffering from anxiety and try to treat just their sleep at night with medication, the daytime anxiety spills over into feeling tense at night which makes it harder to sleep even with nighttime meds. That's why I mention treating the anxiety during the daytime too.
Some people use older antihistamines that are sedating for sleep, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl). These are not anti-anxiety meds, but can be sleep inducing in some people.
I recommend you go in to talk with your doctor for help with this and probably a prescription for a benzodiazepine.
I am sorry you had this trouble with Ambien. I did too, many years ago. Sonata (another sleep medicine) was even worse. So I can understand what you may be going through.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you so much for this kind response. I have been taking 50mg Sertraline for 2.5 years and it works great for me. This current anxiety is definitely the Ambien
Brief Answer:
Thoughts on this
Detailed Answer:
I believe you that the anxiety is from the Ambien. Likely if you take a benzodiazepine to calm the anxiety and for sleep at night, you will only need it for a week or so.
Thoughts on this
Detailed Answer:
I believe you that the anxiety is from the Ambien. Likely if you take a benzodiazepine to calm the anxiety and for sleep at night, you will only need it for a week or so.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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