# Diphenhydramine and sleep **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 23, 2018, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301 "2018-01-23T15:53:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/1 "2018-01-23T15:53:52Z")
Lately I’ve been having difficulty getting to sleep and have found that Diphenhydramine - aka Benadryl - will usually put me out. Thing is, even though I might lose consciousness for 5-6 hours, I don’t feel refreshed or recharged when I awaken. Maybe not as bad as alcohol, but the sort of feeling you get from sleep without an adequate REM cycle. Does anyone know if Diphenhydramine affects or even inhibits REM sleep? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/2 "2018-01-23T16:37:43Z")
> [@](#): > > Abstract > > The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of some H(1)-antagonists on the sleep-wake cycle in sleep-disturbed rats in comparison with those of nitrazepam. Electrodes were chronically implanted into the frontal cortex and the dorsal neck muscle of rats for the electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG), respectively. EEG and EMG were recorded with an electroencephalograph. SleepSign ver. 2.0 was used for EEG and EMG analysis. The total times of waking, non-rapid eye movement (non-REM), and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep were measured from 10:00 to 16:00. Nitrazepam showed a significant decrease in sleep latency, total waking time, and delta activity and an increase in the total non-REM sleep time. A significant decrease in the sleep latency was observed with diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, and cyproheptadine. Cyproheptadine also caused a significant decrease in the total waking time and increases in total non-REM sleep time, REM sleep time, slow wave sleep, and delta activity, although no remarkable effects were observed with diphenhydramine and chlorpheniramine. In conclusion, cyproheptadine can be useful as a hypnotic, having not only sleep inducing-effects, but also sleep quantity- and quality-increasing effects.[RIGHT][Effects of some H1-antagonists on the sleep-wake cycle in sleep-disturbed rats - PubMed](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17287588%5B/RIGHT%5D) CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![SeniorCitizen007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8baadc/32.png) [@SeniorCitizen007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeniorCitizen007)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/3 "2018-01-23T17:23:22Z")
Hops, valerian, and passion flower combination herbal sleep aid WORKS … there’s no need to dose yourself with anything else. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/4 "2018-01-23T17:34:50Z")
I find that taking a good magnesium supplement half an hour before I go to bed works very well. ---
**Author:** ![yearofglad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b782af/32.png) [@yearofglad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yearofglad)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/5 "2018-01-23T17:43:48Z")
My SO, who is a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in sleep medicine, said (roughly) that Benadryl doesn’t actually alter your sleep architecture with sporadic use, although it can with long-term use. It does have a “hangover” effect - it affects your wakefulness (which is why you fall asleep) but continues to have that effect even after you wake up, which is why you don’t feel well-rested. Of course, I am not your doctor, and neither is she! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/6 "2018-01-23T17:43:52Z")
> [@SeniorCitizen007](#): > > Hops, valerian, and passion flower combination herbal sleep aid WORKS … there’s no need to dose yourself with anything else. Not in my experience. Try what you want, but this is definitely a case of YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/7 "2018-01-23T17:54:56Z")
Take it earlier in the evening. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/8 "2018-01-23T17:58:21Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Take it earlier in the evening. I don’t need it now, but about ten to a dozen years ago I tried it. No matter the dose or timing, didn’t make a lick of difference to me. I felt exactly the same as not taking it. The only OTC thing I’ve had that usually knocks me on my ass is Benadryl, but it works _too_ well, so I generally try to avoid it unless I’m sick and just want to doze away for hours and don’t care if I’m groggy in the morning. (And I say “usually,” because I’ve had it at times before with no discernible effect, either, but about 80% of the time, it’s significant.) ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/9 "2018-01-23T18:00:54Z")
> [@SeniorCitizen007](#): > > Hops, valerian, and passion flower combination herbal sleep aid WORKS … there’s no need to dose yourself with anything else. Especially if you lay still and quiet in a warm, dark room for five or six hours subsequent to ingesting the concoction. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/10 "2018-01-23T18:01:36Z")
> [@SeniorCitizen007](#): > > Hops, valerian, and passion flower combination herbal sleep aid WORKS … there’s no need to dose yourself with anything else. Are there any cites for this? Maybe a study? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/11 "2018-01-23T18:02:48Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Take it earlier in the evening. Oh, wait, sorry. That may have been a response to the OP, not my post that immediately preceded. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/12 "2018-01-23T18:11:35Z")
> [@yearofglad](#): > > My SO, who is a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in sleep medicine, said (roughly) that Benadryl doesn’t actually alter your sleep architecture with sporadic use, although it can with long-term use. It does have a “hangover” effect - it affects your wakefulness (which is why you fall asleep) but continues to have that effect even after you wake up, which is why you don’t feel well-rested. This has been my experience as well. If I use it only 1-2 times per week or less, it works pretty well. I wake up and feel well rested. But if I take it a lot in a row, it doesn’t seem to work as well and I don’t feel as good after waking up. I also only take 1 pill rather than 2 to minimze the “hangover” the next day. There is an herbal remedy which works pretty for giving me restful sleep, but it’s only available in a few states at this time. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/13 "2018-01-23T19:13:04Z")
You may want to try doxylamine (aka Unisom) instead. I used to rely on diphenhydramine but it really was like taking a sledgehammer to my brain; oftentimes I’d get some sleep but would be so hung over that I couldn’t do anything the next day anyway. Unisom’s a lot less heavy, in my experience, and in fact by cutting the pills in half I get the same amount of sleep with fewer side effects. It’s also in Nyquil and some formulations of Robitussin (which is how I discovered it.) > [@filmore](#): > > There is an herbal remedy which works pretty for giving me restful sleep, but it’s only available in a few states at this time. 29 states and a few territories, to be precise. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/14 "2018-01-23T19:25:46Z")
Personally I would consult a physician before taking any herbal remedies for two reasons: 1. They might interfere with other meds or ongoing medical conditions, and 2. Over the counter herbal remedies are notoriously unregulated when it comes to purity and content. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/15 "2018-01-23T19:37:20Z")
> [@Cardigan](#): > > Lately I’ve been having difficulty getting to sleep and have found that Diphenhydramine - aka Benadryl - will usually put me out. Thing is, even though I might lose consciousness for 5-6 hours, I don’t feel refreshed or recharged when I awaken. Maybe not as bad as alcohol, but the sort of feeling you get from sleep without an adequate REM cycle. Does anyone know if Diphenhydramine affects or even inhibits REM sleep? I’ve had to use Unisom (doxylamine) once in a while, and I feel the same way when waking up. I just attributed it to it not being “out of my system” yet. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/16 "2018-01-23T19:39:44Z")
> [@Cardigan](#): > > Lately I’ve been having difficulty getting to sleep and have found that Diphenhydramine - aka Benadryl - will usually put me out. Thing is, even though I might lose consciousness for 5-6 hours, I don’t feel refreshed or recharged when I awaken. Maybe not as bad as alcohol, but the sort of feeling you get from sleep without an adequate REM cycle. Does anyone know if Diphenhydramine affects or even inhibits REM sleep? At what time do you take it, at what time do you go to bed, and at what time do you get up? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/17 "2018-01-23T19:54:35Z")
> [@SeniorCitizen007](#): > > Hops, valerian, and passion flower combination herbal sleep aid WORKS … there’s no need to dose yourself with anything else. Hmmm. Getting an idea for a specialized craft beer… ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/18 "2018-01-23T20:11:33Z")
Benadryl never makes me sleepy. I toad you I was 'pecial. Going to bed with foam rubber earplugs and an eye mask DEFINITELY helps me fall asleep and stay asleep. Our bedrooms-- hell, our world–is not dark enough or quiet enough to permit sleep. There’s so much ambient light and noise around–and it can ping you just when you’re about to doze off. Recently I bought one of these [sleeping caps](https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N97BU3V/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1), and the effect on my sleep has been better than any drug. I got it to keep from waking up with bed hair (hair sticking up in EVERY possible direction), but the additional feature is that you pull it down over your eyes to make an eye shade. There’s something sooooo comforting about having this soft cap on one’s head. Maybe that feeling is why one of my cats likes to burrow under the covers. However, unlike her, I need air (I believe she is an anaerobic species of feline). As with all the other answers, YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/19 "2018-01-23T22:10:20Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > At what time do you take it, at what time do you go to bed, and at what time do you get up? I’ve been taking it when I go to bed, which is usually around midnight. I’ve been waking up around 6 and feel pretty groggy. I heard it was supposed to go through your system in 4-6 hours. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301/20 "2018-01-23T22:20:49Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Benadryl never makes me sleepy. I toad you I was 'pecial. There are definitely folks for whom it even has a paradoxical effect. My 3-year-old daughter is one of them, or at least seemed to be one of them the last time she had Benadryl at the doctor’s recommendation for runny nose. Had her bouncing off the walls. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diphenhydramine-and-sleep/807301.md?page=2)