A Few Bad Nights or Insomnia?

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Sleep Disorders Health Center

Living With Insomnia

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Living With Insomnia: Get a Good Night's Sleep
How Sleep Needs Change During Life Need 8 hours of sleep every night? Find out how sleep needs change as you age.
Insomnia and Daytime Fatigue It's 3 a.m. and you can't stay asleep. Find out how insomnia affects you.
Managing Insomnia Another fitful night of tossing and turning? Find tips on getting quality sleep.
Insomnia: Questions for Your Doctor What to ask your doctor about insomnia, and what your doctor may ask you.
Your Guide to Sleep Medications Prescription and over-the-counter sleep medications explained.
Just a Restless Night or Insomnia? Do you have insomnia or just feeling stressed? How insomnia is diagnosed.
How Pain Affects Your Sleep Pain can keep you awake for hours at night. Simple solutions to help you cope.
Natural Sleep Fixes Medication-free tips and tricks to help you get a restful night's sleep.

A Few Bad Nights or Insomnia?

(continued)

What You Can Do continued...

Keep a sleep log to see if you can identify any patterns to discuss with your doctor. Track when you go to bed, how long it takes you to fall asleep, how many times you awake at night, what time you get up, how you feel when you wake up, and if you take a nap during the day.

Depending on the cause of insomnia, your doctor may prescribe a sleep medication to provide short-term relief. He or she may also refer you to cognitive behavioral therapy techniques and offer strategies to improve your sleep hygiene.

Sleep is important for your overall health and lack of sleep has been shown to contribute to illness, including heart disease.

"We hear so much about diet and exercise," says Conroy. "Sleep is as important as your nutrition..."

Boost Your Sleep Hygiene

Many Americans have poor sleep habits. Tracey Marks, MD, psychiatrist in Atlanta and author of Master Your Sleep, shares her tips to improve your sleep hygiene:

Keep your bedtime the same each night (even on the weekend) for consistency's sake.
Cut out caffeine, cigarettes, and alcohol 4-6 hours before bedtime.
Don't exercise right before bed.
Only use your bed for sleep and sex. Don't bring work or gadgets into bed.
Adjust your thermostat to a comfortable temperature, usually 68-74 degrees.
Turn the lights off and use eye covers to keep the room dark.
If it's taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, don't stay in bed. Go to another quiet room and engage in relaxing activity until you feel drowsy.
If your mind is busy, write down your thoughts on a problem-solving worksheet.

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WebMD Medical Reference

Reviewed by Michael J. Breus, PhD on February 27, 2011

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Important Safety Information

Intermezzo^® (zolpidem tartrate) is the first and only prescription sleep aid approved by the FDA for use as needed to help treat adults with insomnia when they have difficulty falling back to sleep after waking up in the middle of the night. Only take Intermezzo if you have at least 4 hours of bedtime left.

Important Safety Information

Do not take Intermezzo^® (zolpidem tartrate) if you are allergic to zolpidem or any other ingredients in Intermezzo. Do not take Intermezzo if you have had an allergic reaction to drugs containing zolpidem, such as Ambien^®.

Serious allergic reactions may occur and may be fatal. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction to Intermezzo can include swelling of your face, lips, and throat that may cause difficulty breathing or swallowing, and nausea and vomiting.

If Intermezzo is taken with other medicines that can make you sleepy, it can add to sleepiness caused by these medicines. Intermezzo should not be taken if you have taken another sleep medicine at bedtime or in the middle of the night. Do not drive or operate machinery until at least 4 hours after taking Intermezzo and until you feel fully awake.

Call your doctor if your insomnia worsens or is not better within 7 to 10 days. This may mean that there is another condition causing your sleep problem.

Driving, eating, or engaging in other activities while not fully awake without remembering the event the next day have been reported. Other abnormal behaviors including being more outgoing or aggressive, as well as confusion, hallucinations, and agitation, may occur. Don't take Intermezzo if you drank alcohol that day or before bed, as it may increase these behaviors.

In depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide may occur.

If you experience any of these behaviors or reactions, contact your healthcare provider immediately.

Intermezzo, like most sleep medicines, has some risk of dependency.

Common side effects are headache, nausea, and fatigue.

For more information, please read the Full Prescribing Information for Intermezzo, including the Medication Guide.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088, or contact Purdue Pharma L.P. at 1-888-726-7535.

Important Safety Information | Medication Guide | Full Prescribing Information

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