# OTC sleep meds w/o acetaminophen? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 24, 2008, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548 "2008-12-24T15:34:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/1 "2008-12-24T15:34:51Z")
After surgery and being on opiates, which finally got off, am now having trouble sleeping for the first time in my life. Have been taking Tylenol PM, which helps, but really don’t want to keep taking the acetaminophen. Any suggestions for safe products that are effective? ---
**Author:** ![Cowgirl\_Jules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@Cowgirl\_Jules](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowgirl_Jules)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/2 "2008-12-24T15:41:43Z")
My doctor told me that benadryl is the sleepy ingredient in Tylenol PM, and that’s easy enough to get without acetaminophen. Not a doctor and all, but that’s what I use once in a while. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/3 "2008-12-24T15:47:12Z")
Go to Walmart/Walgreens/Target etc and check out Benadryl or Nytol or any of the other sleep aids OR antihistamines. You want to find the ones that have Diphenhydramine HCL. Last time I looked, Nytol was the best price (that was many years ago though). ETA Zyrtec knocks me out REALLY fast. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/4 "2008-12-24T16:03:19Z")
> [@Cowgirl\_Jules](#): > > My doctor told me that benadryl is the sleepy ingredient in Tylenol PM, and that’s easy enough to get without acetaminophen. Not a doctor and all, but that’s what I use once in a while. The active ingredient in Benadryl is the same as the main ingredient in many sleeping pills such as Sominex. But some people get “aggitation” as a side effect. You’re not supposed to take sleeping pills for more than a couple weeks or so though. So they are effective if you just want to put an end to a cycle of insomnia, but if you need it for long-term use, you definitely need to consult a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/5 "2008-12-24T16:12:06Z")
If you’re having trouble falling asleep, rather than staying asleep, I find melatonin to be a godsend. You can find it at just about any drug store, it’s very safe, and I find it doesn’t leave me feeling groggy. Also, small quantities of alcohol. Antihistamines are depressants that act on your central nervous system. Alcohol makes you drunk because it depresses your central nervous system. A stiff shot or two of your liquor of choice before bed can be a great help. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/6 "2008-12-24T16:26:32Z")
Eh - alcohol can be a double-edged sword. Sometimes it can screw with your sleep badly. Mileage varies so widely with this that I wouldn’t recommend either abstaining or moderate imbibing - except to note that if you have awful sleep you might want to look at your habits in this area. As for melatonin, it does seem to work for some people I’ve known. Disclaimer: IANAD. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/7 "2008-12-24T16:31:00Z")
It was my understanding that alcohol _wasn’t_ good as a sleep aid because it messes with your REM sleep or something. Yes? No? ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/8 "2008-12-24T16:42:45Z")
Alcohol may help you get to sleep, but the rebound effect after it wears off will more than likely have you snapping awake a few hours later. I second the recommendation of melatonin, only the stuff I’ve read claims that the most effective dose is about .3 mg, and you get the 3 mg stuff OTC. So when I take it, I only take 1/4 of a pill. Still works like a charm for me. Benadryl knocks me out hard, with a groggy hangover feeling the next day, so I only use it in dire circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![purple\_granny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@purple\_granny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purple_granny)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/9 "2008-12-24T16:49:39Z")
melatonin or diphenhydramine hcl…both are good harmless choices for most of us. another goodie is valerian root…IF you can get past the nasty smell of it. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/10 "2008-12-24T16:57:37Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > As for melatonin, it does seem to work for some people I’ve known. Thanks, everybody, I’ll give some of these OTC things a try. I did try melatonin, but for some reason it did nothing. I have no trouble getting to sleep, but now awake at 3 or 4 AM and can’t get back. I try to relax and just lie there, but it sure drags. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/11 "2008-12-24T17:55:37Z")
> [@purple\_granny](#): > > …another goodie is valerian root…IF you can get past the nasty smell of it. Pee-yew–how DO you get past it? I bought some once, but never used it because of the stench. That stuff is made from either the water used to boil sweaty gym socks or extract of limburger! Does the taste bear any resemblance to the smell? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/12 "2008-12-24T18:03:47Z")
I used to take it in capsule form, valerian burps are pretty gross as well. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/13 "2008-12-24T18:04:08Z")
Try getting L-Theanine. It’s a green tea extract and it supposedly helps you stay asleep by relaxing your brain. I use it and it helps a bit. Not 100% but it’s better than nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/14 "2008-12-24T18:21:38Z")
> [@Chanteuse](#): > > Pee-yew–how DO you get past it? I bought some once, but never used it because of the stench. That stuff is made from either the water used to boil sweaty gym socks or extract of limburger! > > Does the taste bear any resemblance to the smell? I take pills that have no discernible scent to them. I combine them with melatonin (1 mg - the 1 mg pills are hard to find) - and it works better than several of the prescription meds I’ve taken. ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/15 "2008-12-24T18:29:37Z")
I like passionflower, either capsules or the tea gives you a nice relaxing ritual and is very tasty. Valerian root works for me, also, but passionflower is much more pleasant. I can use diphenhydramine but it gives me restless legs and my mouth gets very dry. I was wondering about melatonin but since I had estrogen receptor positive breast cancer I’m not sure if it’s safe for me to use it. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/16 "2008-12-24T18:30:57Z")
For the melatonin takers upthread - can you provide details on how you use it - **Dangerosa** says 1 mg, is that what everyone else takes? Also, what time do you take it - just before bedtime, a couple hours before, etc. (I have a bottle of the stuff that I got for fighting jet lag, since it is supposedly good for that, but I’m no sure why I bothered, as no one in my nuclear family has big problems with lag.) ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/17 "2008-12-24T18:45:34Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > For the melatonin takers upthread - can you provide details on how you use it - **Dangerosa** says 1 mg, is that what everyone else takes? Also, what time do you take it - just before bedtime, a couple hours before, etc. > > (I have a bottle of the stuff that I got for fighting jet lag, since it is supposedly good for that, but I’m no sure why I bothered, as no one in my nuclear family has big problems with lag.) I take 3mg about half an hour before bed every night. If I still have trouble falling asleep after about an hour, I take another 3mg. Some people find that very tiny doses, as little as .3mg works for them (though I have no idea where you’d get such small amounts). IANAD, but I haven’t read about any serious risks of high doses, so I started small (about 1mg) and worked my way up. I’ve also seen time-release capsules, but I’m not sure how useful those would be - as I understand it, your natural melatonin levels are supposed to kind of spike around bedtime and gradually taper during the night. ---
**Author:** ![Catfood\_Purrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Catfood\_Purrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catfood_Purrito)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/18 "2008-12-24T20:26:21Z")
Benadryl doesn’t work for me at all, but I find doxylamine succinate very effective. It’s in one variety of Unisom (the tablet form, I think the capsule has something else), and Walmart carries a generic that’s pretty cheap. It’s also the antihistamine in NyQuil, so if NyQuil knocks you out, likely this stuff will too. The morning after the first time I used it I overslept and was pretty groggy, but I cut back to half a tablet after that and it’s worked great. ---
**Author:** ![Waffle\_Decider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/77aa72/32.png) [@Waffle\_Decider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waffle_Decider)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/19 "2008-12-24T21:12:30Z")
> [@Mishell](#): > > Benadryl doesn’t work for me at all, but I find doxylamine succinate very effective. It’s in one variety of Unisom (the tablet form, I think the capsule has something else), and Walmart carries a generic that’s pretty cheap. It’s also the antihistamine in NyQuil, so if NyQuil knocks you out, likely this stuff will too. The morning after the first time I used it I overslept and was pretty groggy, but I cut back to half a tablet after that and it’s worked great. I’ll second this. Unisom (the doxylamine version, the blue one IIRC) is much more effective than Benadryl for me. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/otc-sleep-meds-w-o-acetaminophen/478548/20 "2008-12-25T06:48:12Z")
google Diphenhydramine HCL it is an really ancient antihistamine. Lots of people make it. I have a bottle which originally had 1000 (yes, really) pills, 50 mg Diphenhydramine HCL each. Name on the lable is Qualitest. Lots cheaper than Unisom, works just as well. these are red capsules ve. blue caplets. I paid less for this than I paid for 30 (IIR the count in the bottle C) Unisoms. p.s. - welcome to the insomnia club!