Most common reasons for insomnia are either lifestyle factors like excessive smoking and drinking caffeinated beverages, especially before bedtime or due to erratic sleep schedules. Environmental factors like too much noise or too much light or a sleeping environment that is too hot or too cold also can interfere with sleep. Medical factors like kidney disease, heart failure, asthma and Parkinson's disease can impair healthy sleep. Conditions that cause pain or discomfort, such as arthritis, can also make it difficult to sleep well. Psychological factors like stress are the most common cause of short term insomnia.

Insomnia should be treated if one has been suffering from sleep disorders for more than a week. Ambien is one of the most popular sleeping pills available in the US. According to Sanofi, it keeps monitoring the Ambien drug for any significant change in the safety profile or Ambien side effects. Ambien when taken as directed – provides a safe and effective treatment to millions of men and women coping with insomnia.

In some reports Ambien side effects has been related to sleep walking and eating during sleep. According to a study, many patients were found to be sleepwalking into their kitchens, eating and consuming calories ranging into the thousands. But several doctors and a number of patients say that sleep-eating is one of a variety of unusual reactions to the drug.

Ambien should be used only when prescribed by the doctor. There have been reports about Ambien drug abuse. It is mainly seen in kids who are taking Ambien to feel high and experience black outs. Doctors have warned people against misuse of this drug.

In a recent development Sanofi got the approval for Ambien for pediatric use. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have granted pediatric exclusivity for Ambien (zolpidem tartrate) and Ambien CR (zolpidem tartrate extended-release). The decision was based on pediatric data submitted to the FDA, including results of a study in the pediatric population conducted following a written request from the FDA in December 2005.

Ambien is the best-selling prescription sleeping pill in the United States. Doctors wrote more than a quarter million prescriptions for it last year alone.