How much benadryl should i take to sleep

As you get ready for sleep, histamine levels in the brain decrease. This works to induce non-rapid eye movement sleep NREM. Antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine and doxylamine succinate, cross the blood-brain barrier, mimicking this natural function. In addition to blocking histamine, diphenhydramine and doxylamine succinate have anticholinergic properties.

Anticholinergic drugs inhibit the action of acetylcholine in the central and peripheral nervous system. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that plays a pivotal role in several brain functions, including short-term memory and thinking. Anticholinergic medications can produce cognitive impairment that persists even after you stop taking them.

A long-term study analyzed the effects of cumulative anticholinergic medication use among over 3, participants ages 65 and over. Study participants were followed for over 7 years. Researchers also found an escalation of risk based upon the cumulative amount of anticholinergic medication taken over time.

Anticholinergic medications are FDA pregnancy category B drugs. Rather than antihistamines or any type of sleep aid, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and European Sleep Research Society recommends cognitive behavioral therapy CBT as a first-line treatment for insomnia. CBT focuses on sleep hygiene and strengthening the bed-sleep connection. It helps adjust circadian rhythm and reduces anxiety about insomnia. L-theanine is an amino acid found in tea leaves.

Practicing good sleep hygiene habits can help train your body and brain to fall and stay asleep. Here are some strategies to try:. If you have chronic insomnia, talk with a medical professional. They may recommend prescribed sleep aids or antidepressants with a sedating effect.

Drinking alcohol with Benadryl can increase the effects of alcohol and cause excess sleepiness that can impair your abilities.

For instance, you may have trouble driving. Benadryl can interact with several other medications. It can also interact with certain supplements.

Below is a list of medications that can interact with Benadryl. Different drug interactions can cause different effects. For instance, some can interfere with how well a drug works, while others can cause increased side effects. If you take other medications, talk with your pharmacist before taking Benadryl. Your pharmacist can help you avoid potential interactions.

Anticholinergic drugs block the action of acetylcholine, a chemical that relays messages between cells in your body. Benadryl also blocks acetylcholine. Because anticholinergic drugs and Benadryl work in the same way, taking them together can increase the risk of side effects. Examples of these drugs include:. Many medications can cause sleepiness.

Taking these drugs with Benadryl can increase the risk of excessive sleepiness. Examples of these medications include:. Xanax alprazolam is a type of drug called a benzodiazepine, which can cause sleepiness. Taking Xanax with Benadryl can increase your risk of excessive sleepiness. This can make you too sleepy to drive or prevent you from doing other potentially dangerous activities safely.

If you take Xanax, talk with your doctor before taking Benadryl. They may recommend other treatment options. Zoloft sertraline is an antidepressant that can cause sleepiness in some people who take it. Taking Zoloft with Benadryl may increase the risk of excessive sleepiness. If you take Zoloft, talk with your doctor before taking Benadryl.

Zyrtec cetirizine is an antihistamine. Benadryl is also an antihistamine. Taking Benadryl with Zyrtec may increase the risk of certain side effects such as sleepiness, dry mouth, fatigue, and headache. If you take Zyrtec, talk with your doctor before taking Benadryl. Some herbs and supplements can cause sleepiness. Taking these with Benadryl can increase the risk of excessive sleepiness.

Examples of these supplements include:. For hay fever or other respiratory allergies, oral Benadryl is typically taken every 4 to 6 hours. If topical Benadryl is used to treat itchy skin, it should be applied up to 4 times daily. Each application should be separated by 4 to 6 hours.

Benadryl tablets can be crushed. If you have trouble swallowing whole tablets, Benadryl liquid solution and chewable tablets are available. If you have allergies or have a cold, your body releases a chemical messenger called histamine. This messenger causes symptoms such as inflammation, edema swelling , itchiness, and runny nose.

Benadryl blocks some of the effects of histamine and decreases some of the symptoms caused by it. When taken by mouth, Benadryl begins to work within 15 to 30 minutes. When applied to the skin, it works right away. Yes, Benadryl causes most people who take it to feel sleepy. This side effect may go away after three to four days of daily use.

Since Benadryl can make you feel sleepy, some people may feel that it causes them to relax. However, this effect often goes away after using the product for a few days. An expectorant is a product that loosens mucus in your respiratory tract so you can cough it up. Before taking Benadryl, talk with your doctor about any medical conditions you have. Benadryl may not be a good choice for you if you have certain medical conditions.

Examples of these conditions include:. Each Benadryl package is given an expiration date by the manufacturer of the product. This date is printed on the package. The purpose of the expiration date is to guarantee the effectiveness of the medication during this time. However, an FDA study showed that many medications may still be good beyond the expiration date listed on the bottle. How long a medication remains good can depend on many factors, including how and where the medication is stored.

Benadryl should be stored at room temperature in its original container. Excessive humidity should be avoided.

If you have unused medication that has gone past the expiration date, talk to your pharmacist about whether you might still be able to use it.

Benadryl is an H1-receptor antagonist. It competes with free histamine at the H1-receptor binding sites. Benadryl antiemetic effects are likely due to central anticholinergic effects. Benadryl also has central nervous system depressant effects and has a direct suppressive effect on the cough center.

After oral administration, the onset of action is approximately 15 to 30 minutes. Peak concentrations occur in 2 to 4 hours. Benadryl is metabolized hepatically. The plasma half-life is 2 to 8 hours with a duration of action of about 4 to 6 hours. Benadryl is contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity to Benadryl or any of its components.

Disclaimer : MedicalNewsToday has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or other healthcare professional before taking any medication.

The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.

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Alternatives to Benadryl. Benadryl vs. 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.

Take the diphenhydramine packet or leaflet inside it plus any remaining medicine with you. Like all medicines, diphenhydramine can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. However, you may be more likely to get them if you're over Common side effects happen in more than 1 in people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or do not go away:. Diphenhydramine cream can sometimes make your rash worse. It may also make your skin sensitive to sunlight.

In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to diphenhydramine. These are not all the side effects of diphenhydramine. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet. While diphenhydramine can be used during pregnancy, it is not normally recommended.

This is because of the side effects, which may be more significant during pregnancy. Discuss with your doctor or pharmacist other medicines, such as chlorphenamine , that may more suitable.

If you have difficulty sleeping while you're pregnant, your doctor or midwife may suggest ways to improve your sleep routine, like relaxing, and avoiding naps. If you have a cough or cold, you can help to ease your symptoms by resting, drinking plenty of fluids and taking paracetamol.

If your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, you can take diphenhydramine while you're breastfeeding, but it's better to take occasional doses or only take it for a short time. Diphenhydramine passes into breast milk in very small amounts. Although it's unlikely to cause any side effects in your baby, it is a drowsy antihistamine, so could make your baby sleepy. If you're breastfeeding, or planning to breastfeed, talk to your doctor.

They may recommend similar antihistamines, called loratadine and cetirizine , that are more suitable while you're breastfeeding. Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, midwife or health visitor if your baby is not feeding as well as usual, seems unusually sleepy, seems irritable, or if you have any other concerns about your baby.

Some medicines can affect the way diphenhydramine works, and increase the chances of you having side effects. Check with your pharmacist or doctor if you're taking:. If you're taking a cough or cold remedy or a painkiller containing diphenhydramine, check carefully what the other ingredients are. For example, check whether it contains paracetamol. Ask your pharmacist for advice before you take this medicine together with any other painkillers or medicines. There might be a problem taking some herbal remedies and supplements alongside diphenhydramine, especially ones that cause side effects such as sleepiness, a dry mouth or making it difficult to pee.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements. Diphenhydramine is a medicine called an antihistamine. It is classed as a drowsy sedating antihistamine. When you come into contact with something you're allergic to, your body produces a chemical called histamine. This can cause symptoms such as a runny nose or skin rashes. Diphenhydramine blocks the effects of histamine in your brain and this reduces symptoms. It enters the brain in large quantities and this can make you feel drowsy.

Diphenhydramine also blocks the effects of another chemical called acetylcholine. This can help a cough or runny nose but can also cause side effects such as a dry mouth and dry nose.

If you're taking diphenhydramine for short-term sleep problems, it will start to make you feel drowsy around 20 to 30 minutes after you take it. For coughs and colds, your symptoms will normally start to improve within 20 minutes. You can become dependent on it if you take it continuously for too long.

To avoid this, follow the instructions that come with the medicine and only take diphenhydramine for a very short time, unless your doctor advises otherwise. It is unlikely that you'll become addicted to diphenhydramine but it's best to only take it for a short time. You can become dependent on diphenhydramine if you take it continuously for too long. Follow the instructions that come with the medicine and only take diphenhydramine for a very short time, unless your doctor advises otherwise.

If you have a severe itchy skin rash, your doctor may recommend taking 2 different antihistamines at the same time for a few days. As well as taking a non-drowsy antihistamine during the day such as fexofenadine , cetirizine or loratadine , your doctor may advise that you take a drowsy antihistamine at night if itching is making it difficult to sleep. Do not take another drowsy antihistamine together with diphenhydramine.

It will make you very tired and sleepy. Other drowsy antihistamines include chlorphenamine Piriton , promethazine Phenergan and hydroxyzine Atarax or Ucerax. Do not take 2 antihistamines together unless you've been advised to by your doctor. Diphenhydramine is known as a drowsy, or sedating, antihistamine as it makes you sleepy. Non-drowsy antihistamines are less likely to have this effect.

These include cetirizine , fexofenadine and loratadine. Most people prefer to take a non-drowsy antihistamine as it's less likely to interfere with their everyday routine. You might choose to take a drowsy antihistamine, however, if you're having problems falling asleep, or if symptoms like itching or coughing are keeping you awake. There is not enough information to say whether one antihistamine is better than another for treating allergies. You may need to try a few different medicines to find what works best for you.

Ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice if you're unsure. Diphenhydramine blocks the effects of a natural chemical called acetylcholine. This can help dry up a cough or runny nose but can also cause side effects such as a dry mouth and dry nose. Some cough and cold remedies claim to suppress your cough or stop you bringing up phlegm. Although some people find them helpful, they're not usually recommended.

This is because there's little evidence that they're any more effective than simple home remedies, and they're not suitable for everyone. Yes, you can take diphenhydramine together with painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. If you take diphenhydramine with painkillers that contain codeine such as co-codamol or other prescription painkillers, you may feel very tired and sleepy.

Do not drive, ride a bike or operate machinery or tools if this happens to you. It's important to check the packaging or label of your medicine carefully. This is because some diphenhydramine products already contain a painkiller.

Do not take extra painkillers if this is the case, as there's a risk of overdose.