I don't like Ambien or Sonata. Here's why:

1. They're both controlled substances
2. They're both habit-forming
3. They're both expensive

I usually prescribe trazodone. Trazodone (Desyrel) was originally an antidepressant but it's much more effective as a sleep aid than as an antidepressant. I think that 50 mg of trazodone is just as good as Ambien. It's not habit-forming and it's dirt cheap. Thirty Ambien costs $82, thirty trazodone cost $8.00.

If you're interested, ask your primary care provider to prescribe you some trazodone. It's safe, cheap, and quite effective.

Melatonin is another story entirely. Since it's not regulated, there's no way to know if what's on the label is what's in the bottle. There were tragic problems with the herbal supplement sleep aid tryptophan, so I do not endorse melatonin and advise my patients not to take it.