Ambien, the popular sleep aid, was found by the F.D.A. to linger in the human body beyond its intended 8 hour timeframe, causing residual drowsiness. As a result, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it was requiring the manufacturer of Ambien, Sanofi-Aventis, and other manufacturers of similar hypnotic sleep aids to lower the dosages by half, specifically for women.
Women’s bodies retain Ambien longer than men, leaving the dangerous possibility of women driving while drowsy in morning traffic. Men, who have faster metabolisms due to testosterone, process the drug much faster and so have less of a chance of residual drowsiness. The F.D.A. also recommended lower dosages for men as well.
Side effects of Ambien include (but are not limited to) blurred vision, difficulty breathing, ringing in the ears, and confusion. Cases of “sleep driving” and compulsive eating have also been attributed to Ambien, although scientifically unsubstantiated.
If you are female and currently using Ambien, Edluar, or Zolpimist, consider halving your current dosage down to 5 milligrams from the prescribed 10 milligrams. Or better yet, try some of the natural or homeopathic sleep options I’ll be covering in following articles.
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