Antihistamines for sleep

Strike me lucky

Well-Known Member
I use antihistamines to help sleep, usually for me its an add on to help sleep maintenance but doesnt help with initiating sleep for me.

I alternate between different antihistamines just like i do benzos to help avoid tolerance.

This is a list of sedating antihistamines i have used for sleep. Id be interested to hear from others and what they have used and experiences.

Doxylamine 25mg first sleep aid i used and use to be very sedating but not so much since cfs and probably tolerance.

Diphenhydramine 50 to 75mg

Phenergan 25mg good for migraines

Periactin 4mg also migraines

Atarax 25 to 50mg

Ketotifen 1mg

Polaramine not that effective but might for others.

They can all be good for other things other then allergies and sleep. They seem good for migraines, nausea and motion sickness.
 

Seven

Well-Known Member
I have been on Trazadone (400mg to 50mg) to stay sleep and induce sleep I use Benadryl. I don't need the Benadryl so much anymore except I need it for allergies so I keep using it for that and since it makes me so sleepy I use it before bed.

When trazadone does not work as well I go down (I know contrary to everybody else) then up after a few weeks and it works perfect I don't build tolerance.
 

Who Me?

Well-Known Member
I use the active ingredient in Chlortrimeton as well as many that strike said. I swore by benedryl but it started to cause tachycardia.

I also found Dramamine worked great for many years.

@Strike me lucky you know if you addressed your oxidative stress you would be cured. Then you won't need all these things. Oxidative stress causes every problem known to man.
 

Veet

Well-Known Member
I used a couple different antihistamines, Klonopin for a time. Then I switched to pituitary extract. which worked at least as well as any of the others, with no side effects.

you know if you addressed your oxidative stress you would be cured. Then you won't need all these things. Oxidative stress causes every problem known to man.
Maybe Oxidative stress amplifies every problem known to man.
 

Cort

Founder of Health Rising and Phoenix Rising
Staff member
I use antihistamines to help sleep, usually for me its an add on to help sleep maintenance but doesnt help with initiating sleep for me.

I alternate between different antihistamines just like i do benzos to help avoid tolerance.

This is a list of sedating antihistamines i have used for sleep. Id be interested to hear from others and what they have used and experiences.

Doxylamine 25mg first sleep aid i used and use to be very sedating but not so much since cfs and probably tolerance.

Diphenhydramine 50 to 75mg

Phenergan 25mg good for migraines

Periactin 4mg also migraines

Atarax 25 to 50mg

Ketotifen 1mg

Polaramine not that effective but might for others.

They can all be good for other things other then allergies and sleep. They seem good for migraines, nausea and motion sickness.
Interesting. Are there any that stand out for you - that work better than others?
 

tatt

Well-Known Member
I occasionally use chlorphenamine, usually with a glass of wine as that enhances the effect. Two glasses of wine and I might fall asleep before reaching the bed :) However I dont use it often as the sleep quality still isn't great.
 

Strike me lucky

Well-Known Member
Interesting. Are there any that stand out for you - that work better than others?

Of late periactin seems to improve sleep quality.
There is some research saying in can help increase deeper stages of sleep and possibly enhance growth hormone levels.
 

Rosie26

Active Member
I wish I had of tried antihistamines years ago. I have recently been taking cetirizine 5mg most days and I am sleeping in an extra hour or two in the mornings. I used to wake up at 5-6am, now it is around 7am. This morning it was 7.45am which is a jaw drop for me. I am just going with it because I need catch-up sleep from all the years of insomnia I had.

I think I might need to start experimenting though, and find others antihistamines so that I can do the alternating thing as well.
I have a bottle of Benadryl that I have only taken a few sips of so far. Is it the cough mixture Benadryl the one you all talk about as Benadryl. I imagine it is and not a tablet?
 

Who Me?

Well-Known Member
Try doxylamine and the active ingredient in chlortrimeton. can't think of the name right now. I think what @tatt said. I alternate those. They're pretty cheap. I also just ordered another one from overseas to try. Atarax?

Benedryl caps are cheap. I used that for years but then it started to cause tachycardia.

Also Dramamine. That'll knock you out but good.

@Cort if you have epic insomnia like me, anthistamines are just another layer I add to sustain sleep. The only thing that initiates sleep for me is a benzo. I have a few I alternate.

I've been having good luck with baicalin and oleamide. The oleamide is tricky to dose. Too much and you'll sleep great. And kiss most of the next day goodbye. Lol.

Www.liftmode.com.
 

Rosie26

Active Member
Try doxylamine and the active ingredient in chlortrimeton. can't think of the name right now. I think what @tatt said. I alternate those. They're pretty cheap. I also just ordered another one from overseas to try. Atarax?

Benedryl caps are cheap. I used that for years but then it started to cause tachycardia.

Also Dramamine. That'll knock you out but good.
I'll write those down, thanks, and see if I can get some of those OTC. I think I'll leave the Dramamine one out for awhile. LOL. I might end up waking around lunch with those ones. But handy to know about it for the future if needed.
 

Paw

Well-Known Member
I became wary of diphenhydramine -- which I used pretty regularly -- when I started reading about the risks of long term use of anticholinergics (namely dementia).

At some point benedryl stopped working for sleep (at least at normal dosages), AND I thought MAYBE it was simultaneously causing more flu-like symptoms the next day. Maybe it was interacting badly with my attempts to boost acetylcholine during the day with supplements.

Since Alzheimers seems connected to acetylcholine problems I'm inclined to remain wary of using diphenhydramine, at least regularly.
 

Who Me?

Well-Known Member
They're all OTC except the atarax.

It's all about finding the dose that works but doesn't drug you out. I always wait till the weekend to experiment. Then I don't have to worry about dealing with M-F issues.
 

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