Sleep aids: Understand options sold without a prescription

Sleep aids: The options · Diphenhydramine (Benadryl). Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine. · Doxylamine (Unisom). Doxylamine is also a sedating ... COVID-19:Advice,updatesandvaccineoptions FindoutaboutCOVID-19,COVID-19vaccines,andMayoClinicpatientandvisitorupdates. Skiptositenavigation SkiptoContent ThiscontentdoesnothaveanEnglishversion. ThiscontentdoesnothaveanArabicversion. 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RequestAppointment HealthyLifestyleAdulthealth Print Sections BasicsMaintaininggoodhealthDentalcareSkincareNailcareEyecareSleepMentalhealthHealthyrelationshipsLGBTQhealthHealthyatworkIn-DepthExpertAnswersMultimediaResourcesNewsFromMayoClinicWhat'sNew Productsandservices Sleepaids:UnderstandoptionssoldwithoutaprescriptionTroublesleeping?Sleepaidsavailablewithoutaprescriptionmighthelptemporarily.Butlifestylechangesareusuallythebestapproachforchronicinsomnia.ByMayoClinicStaff You'vefollowedtheusualtipsforgettingenoughsleep.Youhavearegularsleepschedule,avoidcaffeineanddaytimenaps,andexerciseregularly.Youalsoavoidlightedscreensbeforebedandmanagestress.Still,it'sbeenweekssinceyou'vehadagoodnight'ssleep.Isittimeforanonprescriptionsleepaid?Here'swhatyouneedtoknowifyou'reconsideringmedicationtohelpyousleep. Sleepaids:Notamagiccure Sleepaidsavailablewithoutaprescriptioncanbeeffectiveforanoccasionalsleeplessnight.Thereareafewcaveats,however. Mostsleepaidsavailablewithoutaprescriptioncontainantihistamines.Tolerancetothesedativeeffectsofantihistaminescandevelopquickly.Thelongeryoutakethem,thelesslikelytheyaretomakeyousleepy. Inaddition,somesleepaidsavailablewithoutaprescriptioncanleaveyoufeelinggroggyandunwellthenextday.Thisistheso-calledhangovereffect. Medicationinteractionsarepossibleaswell,andmuchremainsunknownaboutthesafetyandeffectivenessofsleepaidsavailablewithoutaprescription. Sleepaids:Theoptions Sleepaidsavailablewithoutaprescriptionarewidelyavailable.Commonchoicesandthepotentialsideeffectsinclude: Diphenhydramine(Benadryl).Diphenhydramineisasedatingantihistamine.Sideeffectsmightincludedaytimedrowsiness,drymouth,constipationandurinaryretention. Doxylamine(Unisom).Doxylamineisalsoasedatingantihistamine.Sideeffectsaresimilartothoseofdiphenhydramine. Melatonin.Thehormonemelatoninhelpscontrolyournaturalsleep-wakecycle.Someresearchsuggeststhatmelatoninsupplementsmightbehelpfulintreatingjetlagorreducingthetimeittakestofallasleep—althoughtheeffectistypicallymild.Sideeffectscanincludeheadaches,nauseaanddaytimesleepiness. Valerian.Supplementsmadefromthisplantaresometimestakenassleepaids.Althoughafewstudiesindicatesometherapeuticbenefit,otherstudieshaven'tfoundthesamebenefits.Sideeffectsappeartobemildandmayincludeheadacheandweakness. Storebrandscontainingthesameactiveingredientsasbrand-namesleepaidsarecommonlyavailable,too.Storebrandshavethesamerisksandbenefitsastheirbrand-namecounterparts,oftenatamorereasonablecost. Importantprecautions Whenusingnonprescriptionsleepaids,followthesesteps: Startwithyourhealthcareprovider.Askyourhealthcareproviderifthesleepaidmightinteractwithothermedicationsorunderlyingconditions.Alsoaskwhatdosagetotake. Keepprecautionsinmind.Diphenhydramineanddoxylaminearen'trecommendedforpeoplewhohavecertainhealthproblems,includingclosed-angleglaucoma,pepticulcerandurinaryretention.Inaddition,sleepaidsposerisksforwomenwhoarepregnantorbreastfeeding,andmightposerisksforpeopleoverage65,includinganincreasedriskofdementia. Takeitonedayatatime.Nonprescriptionsleepaidsmightbeatemporarysolutionforsleepproblems.However,they'renotintendedforlong-termuse. Avoidalcohol.Nevermixalcoholandsleepaids.Alcoholcanincreasethesedativeeffectsofthemedication. Bewareofsideeffects.Don'tdriveorattemptotheractivitiesthatrequirealertnesswhiletakingsleepaids. Everyonebenefitsfromagoodnight'ssleep.Ifyoucontinuetohavetroublesleeping,talktoyourhealthcareprovider.Inadditiontolifestylechanges,yourprovidermightrecommendbehaviortherapy.Thistypeoftherapymayhelpyoulearnnewsleephabitsandwaystomakeyoursleepingenvironmentmoreconducivetosleep.Insomecases,short-termuseofprescriptionsleepaidsmightberecommendedaswell.   Thereisaproblemwith informationsubmittedforthisrequest.Review/updatethe informationhighlightedbelowandresubmittheform. FromMayoClinictoyourinbox Signupforfree,andstayuptodateonresearchadvancements,healthtipsandcurrenthealthtopics,likeCOVID-19,plusexpertiseonmanaginghealth. Email ErrorEmailfieldisrequired ErrorIncludeavalidemailaddress LearnmoreaboutMayoClinic’suseofdata. Toprovideyouwiththemostrelevantandhelpfulinformation,andunderstandwhich informationisbeneficial,wemaycombineyouremailandwebsiteusageinformationwith otherinformationwehaveaboutyou.IfyouareaMayoClinicpatient,thiscould includeprotectedhealthinformation.Ifwecombinethisinformationwithyourprotected healthinformation,wewilltreatallofthatinformationasprotectedhealth informationandwillonlyuseordisclosethatinformationassetforthinournoticeof privacypractices.Youmayopt-outofemailcommunicationsatanytimebyclickingon theunsubscribelinkinthee-mail. Subscribe! Thankyouforsubscribing OurHousecalle-newsletterwillkeepyouup-to-dateonthelatesthealthinformation. Sorrysomethingwentwrongwithyoursubscription Please,tryagaininacoupleofminutes Retry ShareTweet June08,2022 Showreferences WinkelmanJW.Overviewofthetreatmentofinsomniainadults.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedApril6,2022. AbrahamO,etal.Managingsleepproblemsusingnon-prescriptionmedicationsandtheroleofcommunitypharmacists:Olderadults'perspective.InternationalJournalofPharmacyPractice.2017;doi:10.1111/ijpp.12334. RiosP,etal.Comparativeeffectivenessandsafetyofpharmacologicalandnon-pharmacologicalinterventionsforinsomnia:Anoverviewofreviews.SystematicReviews.2019;doi:10.1186/s13643-019-1163-9. KrygerMH,etal.,eds.PharmacologictreatmentI:Therapeuticapproachesandimplementation.In:PrinciplesandPracticeofSleepMedicine.7thed.Elsevier;2022.https://www.clinicalkey.com.AccessedApril5,2022. RochonPA.Drugprescribingforolderadults.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedApril6,2022. Valerian.NaturalMedicines.https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com.AccessedApril6,2022. FerriFF.Insomnia.In:Ferri'sClinicalAdvisor2022.Elsevier;2022.https://www.clinicalkey.com.AccessedApril6,2022. Melatonin.NaturalMedicines.https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com.AccessedApril6,2022. FineL.Pharmacologicapproachtoinsomnia.PhysicalMedicineandRehabilitationClinicsofNorthAmerica.2020;doi:10.1016/j.pmr.2020.01.003. FlaxerJM,etal.Evidenced-basedreviewandevaluationofclinicalsignificance:Nonpharmacologicalandpharmacologicaltreatmentofinsomniaintheelderly.AmericanJournalofGeriatricPsychiatry.2021;doi:10.1016/j.jagp.2020.10.011. NeubauerDN.Pharmacotherapyforinsomniainadults.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedApril6,2022. SeemoreIn-depth SeealsoAlzheimer'ssleepproblemsCanpsoriasismakeithardtosleep?SleepandpsoriaticarthritisHidradenitissuppurativaandsleep:Howtogetmorezzz'sHowasleepdiarycantransformhowyoufeelSleepguidelinesHowtosleepwellduringtimechangesIhaveatopicdermatitis.HowcanIsleepbetter?Lackofsleep:Canitmakeyousick?MayoClinicMinute:SleepSpoiler-TipsforaGoodNight'sRestMelatoninsideeffectsNappingdo'sanddon'tsPrescriptionsleepingpills:What'srightforyou?AntihistaminesforinsomniaSleeptipsSleep-trackingdevices:Dosanddon'tsStressedout?SkipthelateshowWhatisreflexology?Showmorerelatedcontent Advertisement MayoClinicdoesnotendorsecompaniesorproducts.Advertisingrevenuesupportsournot-for-profitmission. Advertising&Sponsorship Policy Opportunities AdChoices MayoClinicPress Checkoutthesebest-sellersandspecialoffersonbooksandnewslettersfromMayoClinicPress. 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