Benadryl (Diphenhydramine)

Do You Need Sleep Drugs?

A recent survey found that more people are sleeping less than six hours a night, and sleep difficulties visit 75% of us at least a few nights per week. A short-lived bout of insomnia is generally nothing to worry about. The bigger concern is chronic sleep loss, which can contribute to health problems such as weight gain, high blood pressure, and a decrease in the immune system’s power. Despite the fact that 35 million prescriptions for sleep medicine were written in the United States in 2005 (twice as many as in 2000), many docs don’t prescribe medications that are intended to get at the source of the problem. Here is a brief review of what you might have been experiencing already and potential solutions to your problem.

If you’re just beginning to experience some mild sleep problems,try Benadryl.

Benadryl is a brand name of McNeil Healthcare (UK) Limited and is used to sell hay fever treatments in various forms around the world. In the U.S. Benadryl products contain the 1st generation antihistamine Diphenhydramine.

This nonaddictive over-the-counter (OTC) option contains an ingredient that makes you groggy (it’s also the ngredient in many sleep medications). If you don’t have pain or other symptoms, stick to straight Benadryl. Otherwise, you can add an OTC painkiller. Downside: You may feel groggy in the morning and suffer memory problems. If so, stop using the medication.

When you’re jet-lagged, or your work schedule varies frequently, you could try Melatonin

A hormone produced by the pineal gland, melatonin is intimately involved in regulating the sleeping and waking cycles, among other processes.

...

Read more...