"i&#039;ve taken ambien sporadically since 2003. i started using the medication to help me sleep when my husband was deployed.  what a miracle!  i have memories of being four years old and struggling to slow my mind down enough to sleep like a normal person.  i thought that i would always toss and turn and pace the floors of my house for four hours and sleep for two or three for my entire life.  i&#039;m very thankful that my pcm referred me to a psychiatrist to address my sleep issues.  i still rely on sleep aids many nights and alternate between ambien and lunesta.  lunesta seems to be much more mild in my experiences, whereas ambien just immediately induces sleep."