Recently there have been reports of bizarre behavior by people who take prescription sleep medications - most notably Ambien. Will this increase in bizarre reports prompt a new awareness that there are natural and safe alternative to sleep medications and anti-insomnia drugs? Decide for yourself.

The Bizarre Occurrences Patients on Ambien Have Experienced- What Happened?

Well, for one, some patients reported that they must have gotten up in the middle of the night and started binge eating (presumably known by evidence left of the binge the next morning), with no conscious recollection of the midnight binge eating rendezvous in the morning.

This temporary amnesia has some worried, as this is not a normal pattern of behavior obviously, and carries with it the possibility that some patients may partake in activities much more hazardous than binge eating without any recollection of it.

And, More Reasons to Consider a Natural Sleeping Aid Alternative - Possibly Serious Side Effects

The more serious stories are the ones of patients who have taken the drug and actually experienced short-term memory loss, or been involved in car accidents when driving the next day while still feeling drugged.

Warnings are currently in place for patients taking the sleeping aid to take it knowing that they have a full eight hours to sleep, to minimize this type of "hung over" effect where patients have taken the sleeping aid with too little time to allow their bodies to regain full consciousness and reflexes.

Ambien does have the lions share of the sleep aid market currently over competitors like Lunesta and Sonata, but some pharmacists do not recommend long term use of Ambien due to the reports of temporary amnesia, many times after it's been used for longer than it should be.

While doctors recommend that you do not quit a drug like Ambien or any other serious sleep medication abruptly, it is a good idea that sleep aids only be taken when needed, and not used as a permanent or lingering crutch on which to lean when sleep does not come so easy. Doctors recommend slowly weaning ones self off of drugs such as Ambien to prevent any type of withdrawal symptoms which may occur.

What Are Your Options Then?

Well, as you probably have foretold by the tone of this article, I do believe that there are natural alternatives to sleep aids which work just as well when you need help getting to sleep. They work with the body's natural sleeping and relaxation mechanisms to help ensure you a good nights rest - without the hung over, groggy feeling that some of the popular prescription sleep aids tend to cause. It's definitely an option worth looking in to.