Ambien zombie
An Ambien zombie is an aviation term describing a passenger, or a group of passengers, who experience drug-induced sleepwalking, amnesia, or bizarre behavior, such as walking around, eating, or interacting with others while appearing awake, after taking the sedative-hypnotic drug, zolpidem, which also makes an alternative term of a "zolpidem zombie".[1][2]
Origin
The term "Ambien zombie" had originated in the mid-2000s to describe people experiencing complex sleep behaviors, such as sleepwalking, eating, or driving, while under the influence of zolpidem but not fully awake. The term gained prominence following 2006 reports of bizarre side effects and lawsuits alleging the drug caused amnesia-filled nocturnal activities. The term arose as media reports and lawsuits highlighted users engaging in strange activities (e.g., cooking, calling friends, driving) while asleep, often with no memory of the events the next morning.[3]
One instance involved with the term was in 2008, when travel writer John Vlahides, who was on a flight from London to San Francisco had taught a flight attendant how to tie a Bedouin turban using an airplane blanket and a sleepless young boy how to make a paper plane.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 LaMotte, Sandee (2019-07-03). "Sleeping pills and planes: Embarrassing tales from 35,000 feet". CNN. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- ↑ Graedon, Joe (2019-07-21). "Beware Zolpidem Zombies on Airplanes". The People's Pharmacy. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- ↑ "Sleeping pills and planes: Embarrassing tales from 35,000 feet". FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. 2019-07-03. Archived from the original on 2020-09-20. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
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