Q. My husband has had a terrible time with the sleeping pill Ambien. One night he got up and wandered out of the house. A stranger had to bring him home. Another time he poured coffee on the computer in the middle of the night. He remembered nothing of either of these episodes.
I have heard from other friends who have also had trouble with Ambien. One got up and fixed a whole meal. He remembered nothing about it but there it was in the kitchen when he woke up.
Are there any natural ways to get to sleep? I am frightened to have my husband keep taking Ambien.
A. We continue to hear from readers who experience sleep walking or even sleep driving under the influence of Ambien. Forgetting the episode afterwards is also common.
There are many ways to promote sleep naturally. They include a hot bath in the evening, a high carb snack at bedtime and herbs like valerian. We are sending you our Guide to Getting a Good Night’s Sleep.
One other trick might be to add magnesium before bed. Some readers tell us that about 300 mg of this mineral helps them ease into sleep. Too much magnesium can cause diarrhea, however. It is not safe for people with kidney problems.
