My best friend used to take Ambien. She finally had to stop because it was making her do and say weird things. That stuff is nasty. I used to take OTC sleep aids but finally stopped.
I would never take anything like Ambien. The side effects, the potential for dependence, all of that just isn’t worth it. I tried Melotonin for a brief period because it’s natural; but it didn’t really do what it was supposed to and it gave me some “digestive issues” (if you know what I mean). So, nope, nothing for me, thank you.
Best thing before going to sleep is a quiet hour in bed with a good book.
Good old prescription xanax works, without making you an irrational nutcase, if you have a doctor who’s brave enough to prescribe it. (Naturally, with the assumption you take as prescribed, and don’t use it recreationally).