Sleeping pills like Ambien are sedative hypnotics acting on the GABA receptor, leading to non-naturalistic sleep with potential side effects.

“But the problem is Ambien isn't part of that same class of drugs that alcohol is. It's what we call a sedative hypnotic. It works on the same receptor, which is the GABA receptor. Now it tickles the GABA receptor in a different way to that which alcohol does. But what we found is that sleeping pills, and I won't name any names but including the one that you described, they are sedating the brain. You're not going into naturalistic sleep. If I look at the electrical signature of your sleep when you're on a sleeping pill versus natural sleep, it's not the same. Secondly, what we found is that those sleeping pills can often come with a grogginess in the morning and some forgetfulness.”