To Infinity & Beyond, Astronauts and Sleeping Pills

Here is something I just discovered:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/07/sleeping-pill-astronauts/13737819/

 

The largest-ever look at astronaut sleep habits was conducted through 2011, when the last U.S. space shuttle flew. It finds shuttle astronauts slept just less than six hours on an average night and that International Space Station astronauts slept only a few minutes more. About 75% took sleeping pills, mostly zolpidem (better known by the brand name Ambien).

 

Zolpidem, aka Ambien; even though it is classified as a non-benzo, it's withdrawals are very similar in effect:

http://prescription-drug.addictionblog.org/what-are-ambien-withdrawal-symptoms/

 

Which scares the hell out of me.  We're doing this to our own astronauts.

It's so weird, but somehow that makes me feel better... I always wished I could be an astronaut and now I feel like at least we have one thing in common. LOL misery loves company?