Diphenhydramine and Drowsiness: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Rip...
• October 20, 2011

Diphenhydramine for Allergic Rhinitis "I have severe seasonal allergies, as well as severe allergies to dust and mold. I had gone through the gamut of second-generation antihistamines (Claritin, Zyrtec, and Allegra) with minimal success in treating my extreme symptoms. I decided to try the first-generation antihistamine: Benadryl. Of course, it's been around for a long time, but it's definitely the most effective. The drawback to this older antihistamine is that it causes sleepiness, and it's not slight. Also, the newer antihistamines can be taken once a day, while Benadryl doses last only 4-6 hours. But to this extreme allergy sufferer, it's a small tradeoff because it certainly treats the symptoms far better."

• car...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 29, 2021

Diphenhydramine for Insomnia "When taking Nytol, I experienced a lot of drowsiness and got to sleep fairly quickly, however, it seems to 'wear off' and cause me to wake up in the middle of the night every time I have taken it. It also seems to cause tiredness in the day. I wouldn't take this again."

• Nob...
• September 4, 2015

For Insomnia "The most effective and reasonable sleep aid I've taken. A single pill (25 mg) before bedtime will make me drowsy enough to fall asleep within a half hour, and it generally keeps me asleep throughout the night. Drowsiness the next day is a problem for me, however, if I take it too late the previous night; it tends to stay in my system for quite a while and, as said in previous reviews, it's not something you should be taking every night. But it's still my go-to drug whenever I know that I need a good night's rest and I'll be able to sleep in the following morning."

• Kit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 11, 2020

Diphenhydramine for Insomnia "I tried 50 mg Nytol a few times a few months ago. I didn't have a great experience with it, I woke up a few times during the night and felt awful the next day, very groggy. After 2 or 3 nights, I stopped using it. However, I read a review of someone saying they used the 25 mg tablets and had a better experience trying the lower dose. I tried half a tablet and had a much better experience. I got to sleep quite easily (I took it around an hour before going to bed), woke a little during the night, but only to go to the bathroom, and woke up feeling fine. No groggy feelings the next day, I'm going to continue with half tablets and see if this continues!"

• tjh...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 11, 2021

For Insomnia "Short-term, it helped with my insomnia, however, long-term, I think it made things worse, which is perhaps to be expected. I don't think any doctor recommends it as a long-term solution. I now have difficulties with my bladder (frequency, incontinence), which also contribute to my insomnia. Now, when I take it occasionally for sleep, it does very little other than make me feel a bit sedated and anxious/weak. If you use it as it's designed to be used, you probably won't have problems, just don't abuse it."

• Hol...
• December 16, 2019

For Insomnia "In a nutshell, this product, diphenhydramine, does work for me for a good night's sleep. Only trouble is it knocks you out for the next day, with drowsiness and all day too. I would suggest cutting the dosage from 50 mg to 25 mg to ease the side effect. It's all trial and error."

• 707...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 8, 2016

Diphenhydramine for Allergic Rhinitis "Works better than most prescription drugs for allergies and chronic sinusitis (I've had sinus surgery 4 times due to this), whose side effects are health threatening. I will only take at night due to the drowsiness, this drowsiness can turn into nervousness if I don't fall asleep and keeps me up all night. I do have drowsy days often with naps from sitting and just passing out. I find that if I continue taking it every night, about the fourth night, I begin to have vivid and horrible nightmares. I also get drenching night sweats - the two are not always together, one night I may have one or the other. I take one (1) tablet."

• Dee...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 24, 2018

Diphenhydramine for Insomnia "I have been using Sominex on and off for a few years. They do the trick for me, but I find a whole tablet too much. But I tend to break the tablet, so I end up taking a 1/3 of a tablet. They are easy to break, and this is enough for me. I sometimes take 1/2, and again this is more than enough. They are strong tablets, and I do feel a bit groggy in the morning, but nothing that stops me from functioning, and I always manage to get to where I need to be the next day."

• All...
• March 14, 2012

Diphenhydramine for Allergic Reactions "Works well and is one of my go-to antihistamines. However, it is very sedating and is also not long-lasting. It would work great for someone with insomnia as a milder sleep aid, but for my use, I would say that it works but makes you sedated."

• Fox...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 20, 2015

For Insomnia "Diphenhydramine is an extremely effective sleep aid. It takes half an hour or less for 25 mg to knock me out. The biggest problem I have with diphenhydramine is that it makes me feel kind of groggy and nauseous the next day. I feel like I'm walking around in some weird twilight, and food just doesn't taste good to me. Still, out of the three sleeping pills I've tried, diphenhydramine is by far the most effective. Ambien made me feel like I was on a roller coaster, and melatonin mainly makes me fall asleep a little faster."

• Vlj...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 16, 2022

Diphenhydramine for Insomnia "It has stopped me from waking in the night worrying about things, and I do feel more relaxed the next day. Not drowsy like I thought it would be. It doesn’t feel intense when I take it, but it does the job and doesn’t make me feel groggy in the morning. I would really recommend it if you need a long sleep with no interruptions."

• Vlj...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 16, 2022

Diphenhydramine for Insomnia "It has stopped me from waking in the night worrying about things, and I do feel more relaxed the next day. Not drowsy like I thought it would be. It doesn’t feel intense when I take it, but it does the job and doesn’t make me feel groggy in the morning. I would really recommend it if you need a long sleep with no interruptions."

• aus...
• May 31, 2015

Diphenhydramine for Insomnia "This worked great for me! Full 8 hours of sleep and woke up very refreshed with no drowsiness. However, it did not work as well when used on a long-haul flight as I continually woke up. Still, not much drowsiness, though."

• Sun...
• September 24, 2017

For Insomnia "I suffer from chronic insomnia and I tried several OTC sleep aids and finally came across NYTOL EXTRA STRENGTH CAPLETS. I break it in half and take 1/2 nightly and am asleep within the hour. I will still sometimes get up at night to pee but am able to fall right back asleep. I awake feeling refreshed and not drowsy or anything like the other sleep aids left me. I was concerned about taking them nightly and spoke to my doc who said he would rather I take the NYTOL as opposed to a sleeping pill prescription. He said NYTOL was just Benadryl and wouldn't hurt me. I have been taking NYTOL nightly for almost 2 years now and am so glad to have found it!"

• mir...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 4, 2016

For Insomnia "I split the tablets into 6 portions, and I sleep well, but I am very groggy the next morning and find it very hard to wake up. I stay sleepy and tired almost all day long. I feel very uncomfortable driving to work in the morning because I am so groggy."

• NCR...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 23, 2016

Diphenhydramine for Allergic Rhinitis "Good antihistamine. Can cause drowsiness, but it works quickly and shrinks nasal swelling better than some of the other choices. I take a newer antihistamine during the day, but this helps a ton at night when the other wears off and the pollen is still bad."

• Abi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 9, 2024

Diphenhydramine for Insomnia "First box of Nytol One A Day worked pretty well but then I bought another box a few months later and it gave me severe migraines, a bit of vomiting, and made me drowsy. Alright, but the sickness, restlessness, and sudden anxiety kept me awake. It's happened for the 6th night in a row, so I'll have to try something else."

• All...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 26, 2017

For Insomnia "I have sleep apnea but can't stand a mask on me, and without drugs, I wake up constantly by stopping to breathe. I take 75 mg of diph an hour before I want to go to sleep, have a couple puffs of indica (nighttime pot), (it's legal here), and it works like a charm. I stay asleep for 5 or 6 hours, which is a long time for me. Little groggy when I wake up, but it goes away after a couple puffs of sativa (daytime pot). I've been a toker for 49 years, it's good for a lot of uses. I am 66. My doctor says he agrees that pot is easier on the body and mind than prescription drugs for anxiety, insomnia, depression, pain, and loss of appetite. They make edibles, gum, etc., for those that hate smoke."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 12, 2020

Diphenhydramine "I go through phases where I am a restless sleeper and will sleep very little or not at all, which has a negative impact on my physical and mental health. But after going to the pharmacy and getting Nytol, it has eliminated my sleeplessness and helps me switch off into a deep sleep. I’ve taken them five times and only once felt groggy the next day, but that morning was a 4:30 am start, and I took the tablet later than normal. Thus far, I’ve had a very positive experience with them."

• Ros...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 19, 2018

Diphenhydramine for Insomnia "I slept like a log last night and always do when I take this particular sleeping aid. But the side effects are that I feel groggy in the morning. I took it while on holiday, and my friends said I seemed like a different person, not really with it! I question that something so effective and strong hasn't got its counter negative points!"

• Amy...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 27, 2018

Diphenhydramine for Insomnia "I often suffer with insomnia. I struggle to get to sleep at night, and I can be up for hours. Sominex helps to drift off quite quickly once it kicks in. Only criticism can make me feel drowsy in the morning for about half an hour, but it works well to help me sleep."

• Rem...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 1, 2020

For Nausea/Vomiting "Diphenhydramine works for me when I have nausea and headaches. The only side effects I experience are sleepiness and dry mouth, but I have insomnia, so it's actually a big bonus drug for me, and they are cheap. A bottle of Great Value is 4 bucks for 100 pills."

• aet...
• December 2, 2018

For Insomnia "I was struggling with severe insomnia when I moved abroad - I was often unable to sleep for 2-3 nights in a row, and basically, every night was a nightmare. I tried this drug, and sometimes it would help me fall asleep, but every single morning I was feeling extremely drowsy, like a zombie. I was taking 50 mg and never exceeded the dose. 25 mg would make me feel dizzy, but even worse than before taking the drug. At some point, I had problems with excess mucus in my lungs, and one day I was feeling so tired and dizzy after waking up that when I flushed my face with cold water, I choked on it, and my cough reflex was greatly delayed, and for 2 seconds, I was just panicked not knowing what's going on. This is not a sleep drug, and even if it puts you to sleep, it's not regenerative sleep at all. In my opinion, the sleep it gives is even worse than after you drink several beers. Another problem is that tolerance to the hypnotic effects of the drug seems to build up very quickly - often within 3 days."

• aga...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 30, 2019

For Insomnia "Diphenhydramine worked fine - sleepy in 1 hour. A few dreams, bad and good, but hey, I slept. I took just 1. I'll take half next time. They work. I'll take them occasionally? But the morning felt groggy? That's okay - just have coffee."

• dan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 2, 2022

Diphenhydramine for Insomnia "I started taking half a tablet before bed, for a long time, I've had poor sleep, and these tablets work - a bit too well. You sleep better, but they also have left me feeling so groggy and sleepy the next day, sort of drugged feeling. I know because I skipped one night - didn't take any - and the next day I felt normal. Then, the next night, half a tablet again before bed, and all day the next day very sleepy - so sleepy you struggle to do anything. I also take beta blockers, so this could be the reason. Who knows. But they work. If you haven't taken them before, I advise you to only take half a tablet before bed rather than a whole one, and you might need caffeine to wake up a bit the next day."