Ask The Sleep Experts

Before we get into listing the names of sleeping pills available today, let’s first discuss why there exists a need for these drugs. Sleeping pills, which are either sedatives or hypnotics, are used to remedy common sleep disorders and provide temporary relief for more serious mental and emotional stressors. We emphasize the term ‘temporary’ because many of us misconceive sleeping pills to be solutions to problems. They are not. Sleeping pills are merely tools to reduce the effects of anxiety or some physical disorder that causes sleep problems. (more…)

Can Ambien sleeping pills cause weight and inch gain? According to studies on patients who have been using sleeping pills for a fixed period, several had experienced noticeable weight gain. These findings were heavily contested by some medical practitioners, however, because people who take Ambien are not exactly eating more during the treatment. In fact, aside from the general side effects of Ambien, like dizzines and headaches, physical shifts that may lead to weight and inch gain are absent.

So how does Ambien cause weight gain when there are no apparent driving factors? Some experiments found that people who are taking Ambien and other strongly formulated sedatives are more likely to sleepwalk. This is because while Ambien forces the body to relax, it has no power to calm the brain, thus, leaving it still active during induced sleep.

This is a potentially dangerous situation because the brain’s cognitive and decision-making faculties are reduced while a person sleepwalks. In severe instances, patients performed daily tasks, like driving, cooking, and even eating while on a ‘high’ and were not able to remember after that they did so. Researchers say that this is one of key reasons that Ambien sleeping pills cause weight and inch gain.

Another possible factor to Ambien-related weight gain is longer sleep. Since the body still functions and burns energy even while it is resting, you will expectedly feel hungry upon waking up. And because you will still be a little drowsy, you are likely to find yourself succumbing to the hunger and eating more.

If weight gain is a huge problem for you, ask your doctor to give you the mildest sleeping pill available. If a higher formula, like Ambien, is prescribed to treat your particular situation, it would help to leave written and very visible reminders on areas you expect to visit first after you wake up, to prevent you from possibly bingeing on food. Or you could tell your housemates that you are going under medication so they can monitor your activities.

Doctors advise that sleeping pills be taken for just around a week or two, so extreme weight gain during this period might not happen. There are far serious possible side effects that may be experienced from using Ambien and other brands, so weight gain should be the least of your concerns. However, should rapid weight and inch gain happen during the short time you are taking this drug, consult your doctor immediately.