How to Stop Taking Ambien CR

In a world where the average adult is overworked, overstressed and doesn't get enough sleep as a result of this, many have turned to the medical route to get enough Zs. One of the popular prescription drugs on the market currently is Ambien CR, a powerful medication to help you get to sleep. For many, this may solve the problem of sleep for the moment, but it can be difficult to stop taking after it is used routinely. To stop taking Ambien CR, you must plan ahead to get back to your natural sleep cycle.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Scale back on the prescription dose. When you are ready to stop taking Ambien CR, it may not be easy to stop cold turkey. Start by scaling back the dosage you take, instead. This can be done on your own, but it is not recommended. Rather then doing it by yourself, simply ask your doctor for a lower dose of the medicine if possible.

2. Plan ahead when you plan to stop. When you are ready to stop taking Ambien CR, try to do it with a plan in mind. Doing some of the more stressful work around the house and at work a few days earlier, for instance, will allow a more relaxed day when you plan to stop taking your Ambien CR. This means that when it is time to go to sleep, you will not have a bunch of distractions floating around in your head that may keep you awake.

3. Take a natural sleep remedy. It is important to get to sleep naturally after you stop taking Ambien CR, but there are some relatively safe natural remedies that can be taken to help you with this process. Consider substituting your Ambien CR with a natural remedy such as a cup of warm milk, chamomile tea or a supplement using valerian an hour or so before bed. These are proven stress-reducing sleep inducers, and can come in enjoyable forms like turkey, milk, nuts, cheese and beans. In the case of valerian and chamomile, you can find them at a fitness center or in your local grocery store in the coffee aisle.

4. Increase your daily activity and decrease stress. Weight lifting and other exercises such as swimming and calisthenics can help induce sleep. Adding some of these to your daily routine can help you get to sleep naturally without the assistance of Ambien CR. Besides adding exercise to your daily routine, you will also want to curb the amount of activity you do around bedtime and replace it with stress-reducing activities like meditation or deep-breathing exercises. This will help you mentally prepare your body for sleep by slowing down the pace and extinguishing some stress.

5. Seek professional help. Sometimes when taking sleep aids such as Ambien CR, people can become addicted or abuse them by taking them in excess against the doctor's prescription orders. Professional help such as drug abuse counseling or support groups may be more appropriate in the instance of abuse. When a person begins to abuse a drug, they often look for replacements to abuse when they decide to stop using. Getting professional help or counseling can help to avoid this process and get the person the help he needs to stop.

6. Stop taking Ambien CR when you have the time. After you have decided to stop taking Ambien CR, you can employ some of the aforementioned tactics to help you get to sleep naturally. One of the things you should consider is when to stop taking the prescription. It is best to stop using Ambien CR when you have a few days to recuperate. Stopping on a Thursday evening for instance, may allow you to power through Friday at work, having the weekend to get your sleep on track. Taking a few vacation days may be wise when approaching this situation in order to adjust.

Tips & Warnings

• It is normal for you to feel restless the first few nights after you stop taking Ambien CR; this passes naturally for most. Be patient and give your body some time to get used to putting itself to sleep before taking further action.

• If you do not return to a normal sleep pattern (at least a solid 6 hours) a week after you quit taking Ambien CR, you should contact your doctor for more help, as this can be a sign of developing insomnia.

Resources

• Find Information on Ambien CR Here
• Tips for Getting to Sleep