Can You Cut Or Split Ambien?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses whether Ambien can be cut in half and if half-dosages are effective for treating insomnia.
I am a 52 yr old white female and have been taking 10 mg of Ambien last year and a half. It was prescribed by my OBGYN. My regular doc says that's too high of a dose. I seem to wake up a couple of hours after sleeping and act drunk. I eventually go back to bed and sleep the rest of the night. Reg doc suggested I cut pills in half. I have done this for 3 nights now but now I'm not sleeping. Will the dosage eventually work itself out so the 5mg will work? How long will this take?
Aug 22, 2022- Regular Ambien tablets can be safely cut in half, but Ambien CR (extended-release) should never be split or crushed because it could release the entire dose at once and increase side effects.
- If you've been taking a higher dose and want to cut it in half, you may experience rebound insomnia for a few days or weeks as your body adjusts, so talk to your doctor about slowly tapering your dose instead of stopping abruptly.
Answer
Ambien (zolpidem) can safely be cut/split in half.
However, it is important to note that Ambien also comes in an extended-release formulation, 'Ambien CR'. Ambien CR should not be split, as this may result in the entire dose of the medication being released at once, greatly increasing the risk of side effects.
In addition, if you have been taking one tablet of Ambien 10mg for an extended period of time and are looking to split the tablet to get a dose of 5mg, you may experience rebound insomnia for a few days/weeks as your body adjusts.
Safe Ambien Doses
The usual starting dose for adults, especially females, is 5mg once at night, at least 7 to 8 hours remaining before the planned time of awakening to reduce the risk of next-day sedation. Higher doses (e.g. 10mg) are much more likely to cause next-day impairment and the side effects you mentioned in your inquiry (acting drunk).
It is not uncommon for lower doses, such as 5mg, to not work nearly as well if you have been taking higher doses. Ambien has been known to cause dependency and withdrawal reactions in some individuals. Immediately stopping or lowering the dosage too much, too quickly, can cause:
- Insomnia
- Nervousness
- Shaking
- Sweating
- Fast heart rate
It sounds as though you may be having rebound insomnia. This will generally resolve after 1 to 2 weeks, but if you are having continued difficulty falling asleep, be sure to reach out to your doctor for treatment options. They may decide to slowly taper your dose down from 10mg or they may try alternative medications such as Ambien CR, Lunesta, or Sonata for example.
What About Crushing?
I also have gotten questions regarding whether or not Ambien can be crushed, and the answer is similar to what I have written above.
Regular-release Ambien tablets can be crushed and taken that way. Ambien CR cannot be crushed and must be taken whole.
Final Words
Thanks for your question and please feel free to reach out again!
References & sources
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Extended-release formulation
- A type of medication designed to release the drug slowly over several hours instead of all at once.
- Rebound insomnia
- Temporary worsening of sleep problems that can occur when stopping or reducing a sleep medication.
- Next-day sedation
- Drowsiness or sleepiness that carries over into the following day after taking a medication.
- Next-day impairment
- Reduced mental or physical ability the day after taking a medication, affecting coordination and alertness.
- Dependency
- A physical or psychological condition where the body becomes reliant on a medication and may cause withdrawal symptoms when stopped.
- Withdrawal reactions
- Uncomfortable physical and mental symptoms that occur when stopping a medication the body has become dependent on.
- Taper
- To gradually reduce the dose of a medication over time rather than stopping it suddenly.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
More answers from Brian →