Sleep-Driving – A Recently Reported Sleep Disorder
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Have you ever woken up and found yourself behind the steering wheel of your car and driving? Patrick Kennedy, yes, THE son of Ted Kennedy has! He drove to the U.S. Capitol believing he had to vote, crashing his car into a security barrier guard rail with no memory of doing it. He had taken Ambien and Phenergan combined. Photo Dakinewavamon
There have been numerous reports of sleep-driving, preparing elaborate meals, food gorging, and sleep-sex with no memory of it afterwards.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, Ambien was linked to 99 traffic accidents reported between 1998 and 2005.
Ambien isn’t the only insomnia drug that can cause sleep-driving — any of the class known as “sedative-hypnotics” can. Some insomnia drugs may be riskier than others. Some of the drugs are:
Ambien, Butisol Sodium, Carbrital, Dalmane, Doral, Halcion, Lunesta, Placidyl, Prosom, Restoril, Rozerem, Seconal, and Sonata.
An analysis performed by Charles Bennett, a professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Bennett noted that the total number of Ambien-related car accidents could be much higher, because on average only about 1% of drug problems are ever reported.
FDA officials offer the following precautions when using sleep drugs:
Don’t take them with alcohol.
Don’t take more than the prescribed dose.
Don’t take with other sedating medication.
Maybe even try ‘handing the keys to a friend’ before turning in for the night after taking these drugs if you’ve been naughty to excess.
Tags:ambien dalmane halcion insomnia drug lunesta Patrick Kennedy prosom restoril rozerem seconal sleep driving sleep disorder
I have recently come up against such a problem. I am taking clonapin and citalopram. A few weeks ago I had 4 drinks before going to bed, took my clonapin, and woke up in a ditch. I am now facing dui charges. I have few cloudy memories of it, and no idea of why I got in the car.
Hi Tim,
Wow, that’s scary! Hopefully no one was otherwise seriously hurt.
The government is currently working to enforce a new regulation which would require manufacturers to put these warnings on their packaging. The question is, how many people actually read them anyway.
Drug related incidents most often go unreported, so no one really knows how wide spread this condition could be. We need to create more public awareness. I think the responsibility falls on the shoulders of the manufacturers to do so.
At least you’re now armed with the information to prevent further incidents. I hope everything works out for you. All the best!
I’ve recently had this problem as well. Although I ended up home without a scratch, thank God.
Although the weird thing is that I’m not taking any type of drugs… and I’m getting good sleep at night as well. The only thing I think that could possibly contribute to this would be my caffeine intake. I easily drink 4 Dr. Peppers a day. But absolutely no pills whatsoever.
And I’ve never slept-walked in my life. So I’m really wondering why this just started up.
I would not suggest and caffeine based drinks when driving they can be just as bad as alcohol.
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Wow, that is scary! I am a driving instructor. I have never heard of this, but I have heard of people doing all sorts of other things in their sleep. It’s quite scary! The drug manufacturers should definately warn people about these frightening side effects.
Maybe people who think they might be affected could get someone else to hide their car keys at night!
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