Ambien and Amnesia

Ambien^® (zolpidem tartrate) is known to cause several side effects, and amnesia is one of them. In previous clinical studies with Ambien, amnesia (memory loss) occurred in up to 1 percent of people taking the drug.

 

When people have amnesia, it is usually for a couple of hours after taking Ambien. This is usually not a problem for most people because they are asleep. It can, however, be a problem for people who use the medication when traveling because they are more likely to wake up.

 

In order to decrease the chances of developing amnesia with Ambien, you should make sure that you can get a full night's rest. If you do not expect to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep, you should not take this medicine.