Is diphenhydramine safe to take on a regular basis?

Question

For the past five months I've had a lot of trouble getting to sleep so I started taking unisom to get to sleep. I ended up taking two of them (100mg) to get to sleep at night. Now I've managed to wean myself to 25mg. Is it alright to take this small of an amount daily?

Answer 1

I would think that if you started by taking 100 mg, and now do not need that large of a dose and have since gone down to 25 mg, I would think that you will eventually not even need that.  There is probalby some physiological reason why you started needing it in the first place, and 25 mg would be more like something to settle you down so that you can get to sleep.

If you like drinking tea, try a blend that is made for relaxation an hour before bedtime.  That should eliminate your need for the diphenhydramine.  If that doesn't work, check with your doctor.

Good luck.

Answer 2

Safe, yes.  There are many people that use Benedryl to help them fall asleep, and It's the active ingredient in all over the counter sleeping aids, NyQuil, etc.  However, after I had a horrible allergic reaction I started taking Benedryl on a regular basis to stop it from reaccuring.  The worst side affects I found was that the pills stopped making me tired, and in fact, as the box reads, causes anxiety after prolonged use.  My advice would be to go to a doctor and discuss the insomnia and find the root of it or go to a sleep clinic.  They can prescribe something stronger.  I suffer from insomnia horribly and after I went to a doctor about it, he solved the problem by putting me on something.  If medication isn't something you're seeking, try herbal jasmine tea or something of the sort that can calm the nerves and is a lot safer than prescription meds.  Also, try not to eat before you go to bed.  Best of luck to you!

Answer 3

I would talk to the doctor and find out why you are having a hard time sleeping. It could be something like snoring or sleep apnea. But I would have it checked before I continued to self medicate.

Also look on the Internet at ways to sleep better. Sometimes just changing a few things before you go to bed will help. Your routine may be disrupting your sleep.

i suffer with the same thing so I can relate. Hope this helps