Is it OK to take Benadryl as a sleep aid?
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Is it OK to take Benadryl as a sleep aid?
For people who take an antihistamine such as Benadryl for a cold or allergies, drowsiness is often a welcome side effect. But a Baylor College of Medicine sleep expert cautions against turning to this type of medication as a sleep aid.
What is the difference between Benadryl and diphenhydramine?
Benadryl is the brand name for diphenhydramine. It is a first-generation antihistamine that can treat allergy symptoms. Benadryl can also be used for insomnia, motion sickness, and parkinsonism. It is usually taken every 4 to 6 hours.
How much Benadryl can I take to sleep?
How much Benadryl should I take to sleep? Typically two Benedryl tablets are taken to help with insomnia. Benadryl is commonly sold in 25 mg doses to treat an allergic reaction. For sleep, 50 mg of diphenhydramine is commonly recommended.
Is doxylamine succinate addictive?
Doxylamine is a non-habit forming medication. However, you can develop a tolerance to it, which means you’ll have to take more of it over time to get the same effect. This can lead to an increased risk of other side effects.
Are Benadryl and ZzzQuil the same?
The majority of them — ZzzQuil, TylenolPM and Unisom SleepGels — contain diphenhydramine as the active ingredient, the same compound in Benadryl. (Unisom SleepTabs use doxylamine, another antihistamine.)
What class of drug is doxylamine succinate?
Doxylamine is in a class of medications called antihistamines. It works by blocking the action of histamine, a substance in the body that causes allergic symptoms.
Is Unisom the same as Benadryl?
What is the difference between doxylamine succinate and diphenhydramine?
Diphenhydramine is found in OTC sleep aids like Sominex and Nytol, while doxylamine succinate is found in OTC sleep aids like Unisom. Doxylamine succinate tends to work longer and, unlike diphenhydramine, cannot be used in children under 12.
