Ambien, the brand name for zolpidem, is a prescription medication used to treat insomnia. It belongs to a class of drugs called sedative-hypnotics and works by affecting chemicals in the brain that may be unbalanced in people with sleep problems. Ambien is primarily prescribed to help people who have difficulty falling asleep. It can be used for short-term treatment of sleep problems. Ambien works by binding to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the brain, which slows down brain activity and allows for sleep.