Zolpidem
Aliases: Ambien, Edluar, Stilnox, Stilnoct, Sublinox
Summary
Zolpidem (also known as Ambien, Intermezzo, Edluar, Stilnoct, Stilnox, Zolpimist, and others) is a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic of the imidazopyridine chemical class which is primarily used in the treatment of insomnia. When taken at recreational doses, it reportedly produces powerful and notoriously bizarre atypical hallucinogenic, dissociative, deliriant and even psychedelic effects. Zolpidem is a member of a family colloquially known as a "Z-drug." Other Z-drugs include zaleplon (Sonata) and zopiclone (Imovane).
Dose Information
| ROA | Light | Common | Strong | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral | 10-20mg | 20-30mg | 30-50mg | 50mg+ |
Onset, Duration & After-effects
| ROA | Onset | Comeup | Peak | Offset | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral | 15-45 min | 30-45 min | 3-6 hrs | 4-5 hrs | 7.75-12.5 hrs |
Effect Profile
425 reportsScores (1–10) curated from multiple sources:
- Effect keyword matching from PsychonautWiki catalog
- Validated against 354 Erowid trip reports
- Weighted by importance: core (×3), major (×2), minor (×1)
Strong auditory effects with moderate visuals, mild headspace and body load
Tolerance
Tolerance Decay
Builds quickly with nightly use; partial tolerance to sedative and amnestic effects may develop within 2–4 weeks, while psychomotor impairment and disinhibition can persist. After cessation, tolerance decays over 2–4 weeks in most people, but residual sleep disruption can persist. Data quality mixed; clinical trials and case reports suggest cross‑tolerance with benzodiazepines via shared GABAA BZ site.
Cross-Tolerances
Effects
Aggregated from 354 Erowid and 71 Bluelight experience reports