They may recommend prescribed sleep aids or antidepressants with a sedating effect. Many prescription sleep aids pose some potential risk and may not be appropriate for everyone. Some may also have unwanted side effects such as dizziness.
Others may experience dependence. Peoplpe sometimes use antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine and doxylamine succinate, to combat insomnia.
These over-the-counter medications are OK for occasional use in most people. Instead, you may want to try alternative sleep aids like melatonin, good sleep hygiene, and cognitive behavioral therapy. If chronic insomnia is a problem, talk with a healthcare professional.
They may also prescribe medications that can help. Insomnia treatment can include lifestyle changes, behavioral therapies, or medications. Learn about the treatment options. Sleep hygiene is about having healthy sleep habits. Your behaviors, both during the day and around bedtime, can affect the quality of your sleep. Falling asleep may be easy some nights and elusive on others. Liquid ZzzQuil comes with a special cup for measuring out the correct dose. For the capsule form, a single 50 mg dose is equal to two ZzzQuil capsules.
A person cannot cut, chew, or split the capsules. ZzzQuil is also available in an alcohol-free liquid solution, which may be more appropriate for adolescents. Diphenhydramine, which is the active ingredient in ZzzQuil, can cause side effects in some people.
The most common side effects of diphenhydramine include :. Rarely, more serious side effects can occur, including :. The intended use of ZzzQuil is for occasional sleeplessness.
The manufacturer recommends that people consult a doctor if they experience sleeping difficulties continuously for more than 2 weeks, as this may be a symptom of a more serious medical condition. It is also important to avoid drinking alcohol when taking ZzzQuil as this can increase drowsiness. Older adults should use ZzzQuil with caution as side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, and low blood pressure can increase the risk of falling.
Taking ZzzQuil may worsen certain medical conditions, including :. People who experience urinary difficulties while taking ZzzQuil should stop taking the medication and speak to a doctor. Not everyone can take ZzzQuil. People should not give ZzzQuil to children under the age of 12 years. The active ingredient of ZzzQuil can pass into breastmilk, so people who are breastfeeding should consult a doctor before taking it. Pregnant women should also seek medical advice before using this medication.
People taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors MAOIs , which are a type of antidepressant , should avoid taking ZzzQuil or speak to a doctor first. MAOIs can worsen some of the side effects of antihistamines. Although ZzzQuil contains diphenhydramine, which can help relieve allergy symptoms, it can still cause allergic reactions in some people. Anyone who has previously had an allergic reaction to ZzzQuil or medicines containing diphenhydramine should avoid taking it.
According to a review , diphenhydramine is among the list of medications misused by people presenting to the emergency department for drug treatment. Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine medicine that relieves the symptoms of allergies.
It's known as a drowsy sedating antihistamine and is more likely to make you feel sleepy than other antihistamines. It's used for:. You can buy diphenhydramine from pharmacies and it is also available on prescription. It comes as tablets and a liquid that you swallow. For skin allergies like hives or bites and stings it's also available as a cream. The cream is much less likely to make you feel sleepy than the tablets or liquid.
You can also buy it mixed with other medicines, such as levomenthol, paracetamol , pholcodine and pseudoephedrine , to treat cough and cold symptoms.
Take our survey. Diphenhydramine can be taken by most adults and young people aged 16 years and above. You can sometimes give diphenhydramine to children, depending on their age and their symptoms.
Ask your pharmacist for advice. For cough and cold symptoms, you can give diphenhydramine tablets and liquid to children over the age of 6. For allergy symptoms, you can give it to children over Check with your pharmacist or doctor to make sure a product is suitable for your child. Do not give your child diphenhydramine to help them get to sleep. Diphenhydramine is only suitable for sleep problems in people aged 16 years and above.
Diphenhydramine is not suitable for some people. To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you:. If you or your child have been prescribed diphenhydramine, follow your doctor's instructions about how and when to take it. Only take or use diphenhydramine when you need it, for example if you're unable to sleep because you're worrying about something or your cold symptoms are keeping you awake.
If you've bought diphenhydramine or any medicine containing diphenhydramine from a pharmacy, follow the instructions that come with the packet, or ask a pharmacist for advice. The instructions will be different depending on the type of medicine you buy, and the other medicines it's mixed with. If you're aged over 65, start with the lower dose, as you may be more likely to get side effects.
The usual dose depends on the type of diphenhydramine medicine you're taking, and why. Diphenhydramine comes as 25mg and 50mg tablets. You'll usually take 50mg, 20 minutes before you go to bed. Diphenhydramine comes mixed with other medicines to treat the symptoms of coughs and colds.
It comes as tablets and as a liquid that you swallow. The usual dose depends on the type of medicine you're taking. Check the instructions on the packaging carefully, or ask your doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure.
The usual dose is 25mg or 50mg, taken 3 or 4 times a day. Try to space your doses evenly throughout the day. Diphenhydramine comes as a cream which you use once or twice a day. You'll only need a small amount, enough for a thin layer. Always take your diphenhydramine tablets with a drink of water. Swallow them whole. Do not chew them. Liquid medicines containing diphenhydramine come with a plastic syringe or spoon to help you measure the right dose.
If you do not have a syringe or spoon, ask your pharmacist for one. Do not use a kitchen teaspoon as it will not measure the right amount. With the cream, put a small amount onto the affected area and smooth it in gently. Do not use it on large areas of skin. Keep the cream away from your eyes, mouth and nose. Remember to wash your hands afterwards, unless you're treating your hands. If you're taking diphenhydramine to help you sleep and you forget to take it by bedtime, skip your missed dose and start again the next evening.
If you're taking any other medicine containing diphenhydramine and forget to take a dose, take your medicine when you next need it to ease your symptoms. Never take 2 doses at the same time. Never take an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one. If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine.
In serious cases you can become unconscious and may need emergency treatment in hospital. Do not use diphenhydramine cream at the same time as other products containing diphenhydramine.
This can lead to overdose. Go to Get someone else to drive you or call for an ambulance. While antihistamines may help you to fall asleep, overall sleep quality is usually not very good, he said. Sometimes, they even have the opposite affect and cause hyperactivity, especially in children.
Many over-the-counter sleep aids are simply antihistaminic drugs repackaged and labeled as something to help you achieve sleep, he cautioned.
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