Diphenhydramine is known as a drowsy, or sedating, antihistamine as it makes you sleepy. Non-drowsy antihistamines are less likely to have this effect. These include cetirizine, fexofenadine and loratadine.
Common choices and the potential side effects include: Diphenhydramine (Benadryl). Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine.
The best choice for allergy relief and restful sleep are prescription nasal steroids — sold as brands like Flonase® and Nasonex®. While it may be tempting on sleepless nights to use a prescription or over-the-counter sleep aid, Dr.
While some over-the-counter antihistamines can cause drowsiness, routinely using them to treat insomnia isn't recommended.
Once-daily antihistamines, such as Claritin, reach their peak eight to 12 hours after you take them, so using them at dinnertime or before bed means better control of morning symptoms.
Take Allergy Medications at Night
Many allergy medications, such as Zyrtec, are recommended every 24 hours. By taking the medication before bedtime you're more likely to get through the night without the active ingredients wearing off or becoming less effective closer to the end of the 24 hour period.
What's the best time of day to take ZYRTEC®? Any time of day works. And ZYRTEC® will continue to work for 24 hours.
Do not take RESTAVIT™ for more than a few days at a time. If sleeplessness persists continuously for longer than this, tell your doctor. Insomnia might be a sign of another medical problem.
If you take an antihistamine frequently or daily, your health care provider may recommend a second-generation antihistamine as they are less likely to cause side effects like sleepiness and fatigue. Example of second-generation antihistamine are: Zyrtec (cetirizine) Xyzal (levocetirizine)
These are the most commonly used sleeping tablets in Australia and include temazepam (Temaze, Normison), zopiclone (Imovane) and zolpidem (Stilnox). They work by enhancing the activity of sleep pathways in the brain. They are recommended for short term use (less than 4 weeks). Melatonin (Circadin).
Extra Strength BENADRYL® Nighttime Caplets let you rest by providing fast, effective symptom relief from allergies and allergic reactions.
“Zyrtec is found to be more potent, or stronger, in laboratory studies, compared with Claritin,” says Dr. Kung. “It also reaches a higher concentration in the skin, which can be more helpful for skin-related allergies. However, Zyrtec has a greater chance of making you sleepy while taking it.”
For better symptom relief at night, you may use a first-generation antihistamine like benadryl, which can reduce your itchiness and help you sleep. These antihistamines can help you relieve the discomfort and itchiness of the allergic skin rash while your body heals the skin.
A review of multiple studies concluded the following: Fexofenadine has no sedative effect, even at high doses. Loratadine and desloratadine have no sedative effect at recommended doses.
Is it safe to take Zyrtec every day? Yep. "When taken in the recommended doses, antihistamines can be taken daily. This is especially true with Zyrtec, since it doesn't show decreasing effectiveness if used daily," says Sima Patel, MD, an allergist at New York Allergy & Sinus Centers.
The Allegra Adult 24-Hour Allergy Relief easily tops our list thanks to the medicine's quick-acting formula to tackle your allergy symptoms any time of the day.
Melatonin: Melatonin is considered one of the safest over-the-counter sleep aids, with few side effects. A prescription drug called ramelteon is designed to mimic the effects of melatonin. Like melatonin, it is not considered habit-forming and it does not affect balance.
Some antihistamines (for example, Restavit or doxylamine), can make you drowsy and can be used to help relieve insomnia. Use these only in the short term (for a few days at a time) to re-establish regular sleep patterns.
Doxylamine succinate is used in general over-the-counter sleep-aids branded as Somnil (South Africa), Dozile, Donormyl, Lidène (France, Russian Federation), Dormidina (Spain, Portugal), Restavit, Unisom-2, Sominar (Thailand), Sleep Aid (generic, Australia) and Dorminox (Poland).
Zyrtec-D (cetirizine / pseudoephedrine) relieves allergies and congestion without causing daytime sleepiness, but it can keep you up at night.
Claritin and Zyrtec are effective and safe for most people with minor allergies. However, as with all medications, there may be some side effects. Loratadine—present in Claritin—may not be safe for people with severe liver conditions.
Yes, you can take cetirizine (Zyrtec) only when you need it if you have allergy symptoms once in a while. But if you have allergy symptoms on a daily basis, taking it regularly according to the manufacturer's directions might give you the most relief from your allergies.