I take the AmbienCR a lot, I've also taken the Ambien too. I've found it doesn't work to good or at all on a full stomach, I pretty much take it on an empty stomach and or after eating a lite meal a few hours before.
I've also found drinking a beer before taking it is not a wise thing, I've suspected a few strange things have happen while I was suppose to be in bed sleeping.
I basically take the medicine and get right into bed now, my roommate says he has picked me up off the floor one time to put me in bed after I had taken it. I put my glasses on the dresser now away from the bed since several times I've had to look around for them around the bed area after getting up. Also I turn the volume down on the TV in case I'm just planning on watching a few minutes of TV but fall asleep before I turn it off. Several times I've fallen asleep while watching TV, and have woken up after the alarm goes off, around 7-8 hours later. I can just make out what is on the TV at the foot of the bed with out my glasses.
The drug really works good, most of the time. Some times it didn't do any thing for me. Don't like to take it any more then 2 maybe 3 times a week, the brain adapts itself to drugs like this, it will try to compensate for the effect of which it is made to have. That why it can be a dangerous drug, to be monitor by doctors. I work the grave yard shift, that is why I take it.
Also I do not take it with my other drugs, or even vitamins. This is an important advice to heed.