-Maintenance Dose: The dose may be increased to 12.5 mg if the 6.25 mg dose is not effective. -Maximum Dose: 12.5 mg once a day. -Duration of Therapy: The clinical trials in support of efficacy were up to 3 and 24 weeks in duration. How to use Ambien. Read the Medication Guide and, if available, the Patient Information Leaflet provided by your pharmacist before you start taking zolpidem and each time you get a refill. Depending on your age, your sex, and other factors, your starting dose of Ambien will probably be between 5 mg and 10 mg. Ambien is generally only used for one to two days, and treatment should not exceed one to two weeks. Ultimately, the best Ambien dosage that you take for proper sleep depends on the user’s response to the medication and how severe it is. The healthcare provider is the person who can prescribe the best possible dosage for your condition. Ambien for adults. The recommended initial dosage for patients is 5mg, this is for women and for men the initial dose varies from 5 to 10 mg. Individuals. FDA: Lower Ambien's Dose to Prevent Drowsy Driving. Blood levels from nighttime dose of sleep aid can remain too high the next morning, agency says Proper Use. Drug information provided by: IBM Micromedex. Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. Special Populations. Elderly or debilitated patients may be especially sensitive to the effects of zolpidem tartrate. The recommended dose of AMBIEN in these patients is 5 mg once daily immediately before bedtime [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1), Use in Specific Populations (8.5)]. Back in 2013, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the recommended Ambien dosage for women should be halved. That meant many women who were used to a dosage of 10 mg might only be prescribed 5 mg in the future. Ambien is the brand name for zolpidem, a drug that's used to treat insomnia. Insomnia is a sleep disorder that makes it difficult for you to go to sleep, stay asleep, or both.