Caution: I'm not doctor, and you really need to ask your doctor this question. But I'll tell you my experience.... Maybe it will sound familiar to you.

Until Memorial Day 2005, I had never taken sleeping pills of any kind (even OTC) for any reason. I was just plain scared of 'em. Some time before that, I had gotten a 'scrip for Ambien with a couple of long flights in mind; actually, the longest commercial flights in the world. As it turned out, I didn't take 'em. And that was in Exec. Economy Class.

On the Tuesday before Memorial Day weekend in 2005, I worked a very hectic day at the office here in Atlanta, then flew out to LAX and chilled out in a horrid lounge at TBIT. I finally climbed into my SpaceBed on SQ 29 and we took off after 1:00 am Pacific Time. Even though it was 4:00 am for me and I had not eaten dinner (or anything else for more than 16 hours), I was very charged up for a great flight (then my first long-haul Business Class on any airline in a year, and my first SQ Raffles Class in 18 months) and looking forward to my holiday. I could not have gone to sleep if I'd tried. I had supper once we reached cruising altitude, and I didn't hesitate about indulging in all that SQ has to offer: Singapore Sling, white wine, red wine, port. But then I needed to sleep--right away. And I needed 8 solid hours across the Pacific before TPE or I'd be destroyed by the time I finally got to Bangkok. So out came Mr. Ambien.

Still cautious, I took only half. Less than 10 minutes after taking it, I went to sleep very easily without feeling drugged or cracked out. I woke up (not quite as smooth) 4 hours later. I fussed about for twenty minutes or so, then just went back to sleep. Up in time for pre-touchdown breakfast, I didn't feel groggy at all.

Since then, I've started taking Ambien to help me sleep on long-haul flights when sleep is necessary, in both Business and Economy Class-- it being particularly needed in the latter and always on those Trans-Atlantic flights that are redeyes and too short to get enough sleep on. I don't hesitate to take Ambien after a couple of glasses of wine, but I certainly avoid getting really sloshed. Still, whether I take a half or a whole Ambien, it seems like it only puts me down for 4 hours, not the 8 they talk about. Two halves in sequence can get me to eight sometimes. But I have never had Ambien actually put me out for 8 hours. If I didn't have any wine with dinner at all, maybe it would.

So even though I was very hesitant at first, I'm not worried about taking 'em now. Just my experience, though.