FDA Orders Sleeping Pill Dosage Lowered

Government will decide how long you will be drowsy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a statement on Thursday revealing its decision to require that the makers of zolpidem, a common sleep aid drug, reduce the dosage that is given to patients, particularly women. The FDA issued the mandate due to the emergence of information that has shown that the drug can stay in a person's system for several hours after they wake up.

Zolpidem is commonly found in both generic and name-brand sleep aids. Ambien and Ambien CR are probably the most recognizable prescriptions that contain zolpidem, but it is also found in Zolpimist and Edluar, according to the FDA's statement.