EITHER sleeping in space is a little more challenging than on Earth, or astronauts are light sleepers, if the findings of a study of medication use on the International Space Station are any indication.
Research published in the journal Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance earlier this year found medication consumption by astronauts in space was higher than on Earth, with zolpidem the most frequently taken drug, followed by mild painkillers including ibuprofen.
The study collected data from six crew members using a mobile app to record every time they took a pill, the name of the drug, the indication they were taking the medication for and whether they thought it worked.
While astronauts reached for sleeping pills more than any other type of medication, the efficacy of the drug seems to have been less than on Earth, with data showing they often took a second dose in the middle of the night - whenever that is in space.
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