Sleeping tabletPrescription only
Zolpidem
Tablet
Quick Summary
Zolpidem helps you fall asleep. It's meant for short-term use only.
Insomnia
Medical Uses
Insomnia: Short-term, when severe.
How it's taken
Take just before bed when you can sleep for 7–8 hours.
Your doctor decides the right dose for you and how long to take it.
Your doctor decides the right dose for you. Follow their instructions and the label.
Common Side Effects
Next-day drowsiness
Sometimes.
Dizziness
Sometimes.
Sleep behaviours
Rarely sleepwalking or sleep-driving.
Interactions
Alcohol and sedatives
Dangerous drowsiness.
Critical Warnings
Complex sleep behaviours
Black Box Warning: Stop if you do things while not fully awake.
Dependence
Black Box Warning: Short-term use only.
Drowsiness
Don't drive or use machines if it makes you sleepy, and avoid alcohol.
Sources and further reading
Last updated 21 October 2026. For more detail, see these trusted health organisations.
- Zolpidem: drug information(opens in a new tab) · MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine
- Zolpidem: medicine used for sleeping problems (insomnia)(opens in a new tab) · NHS