Important facts about OTC sleep aids
You haven’t slept well in weeks, and you’ve tried all the usual tricks — avoiding caffeine in the afternoon, skipping daytime naps, eating nutritious foods, keeping stress in check, and putting your phone away an hour before bed.
Americans in general are tired, and there’s a good explanation. It is estimated that 10 to 15 percent of people suffer from insomnia and poor sleep.
So, if you’ve found yourself eyeing over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids at the pharmacy or grocery store, rest assured you’re not alone. However, it’s important to remember that while they might help temporarily, they’re not the best approach for the persistent lack of quality sleep.
What to know about over-the-counter sleep aids
While some might consider them to be helpful for chronic sleep issues, they’re most effective when used only occasionally. That’s because, according to the Mayo Clinic:
- Most contain antihistamines, which your body can quickly build up a tolerance to — meaning the longer you use them, the less you’ll feel the full effects.
- They can leave you groggy the next day, depending on when you take them the night before.
- There isn’t much known about their overall safety and effectiveness, and they could even interact with medications you’re currently taking.
Use OTC sleep aids with caution
Since OTC sleep aids are available without a prescription, many people assume they are safe and have mild side effects. However, you should take precautions, including:
- Not using sleep aids for longer than two weeks.
- Avoiding alcohol use.
- Avoiding activities that require alertness like driving or operating heavy machinery.
Talk to a provider about your sleep
If you’ve taken a sleep aid longer than two weeks and are still experiencing sleep issues, it may be time to talk to your primary care provider (PCP). If you don't already have a PCP and you're a Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield member, you can easily find one who's in your health plan network by using myWellmark®.
If you haven’t tried an OTC sleep aid before, talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. They can provide information about side effects, drug interactions, or the impact on underlying conditions like asthma, sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, severe liver disease and more.
What are my options?
So, you’ve decided to give over-the-counter sleep aids a try and have the green light from your doctor. The good news is that they’re widely available in most grocery stores and pharmacies. The (somewhat) bad news is that there are several different options to choose from. Store brands are nearly identical to their brand-name counterparts, so we’ve listed your top options by active ingredient first. Here’s what you might find.
Active ingredient: diphenhydramine
You’ll find this sedating antihistamine in brands like Benadryl®, Aleve® PM, ZzzQuilTM and others. It may cause you to feel sleepy the following day, and because it’s also an ingredient used to treat allergy symptoms, you may notice dry mouth and nasal passages. Other side effects can include blurred vision, constipation, memory problems, increased heart rate, and difficulty peeing.
Active ingredient: doxylamine succinate
Often recommended to pregnant women in combination with low doses of vitamin B6 to treat mild morning sickness, doxylamine succinate is also known as Unisom® SleepTabs® or Unisom® SleepGels®. Side effects are similar to those of diphenhydramine.
Active ingredient: melatonin
If you’re looking for something a bit less pharmaceutical, you could try the hormone melatonin, which helps keep your natural sleep-wake cycle in check and can potentially help reduce the time it takes to fall asleep. The effects are typically milder than those of other OTC sleep aids. Though your body naturally produces melatonin, adding more can still produce side effects like daytime sleepiness, dizziness, headaches, nausea and irritability.
Important: safety considerations for adults 65 years or older
Older adults should not take any OTC sleep aids with diphenhydramine or doxylamine succinate due to the risk of confusion, dry mouth, constipation and other adverse side effects. For more information about sleeping well over age 65, talk to your doctor.
Alternatives to over-the-counter sleep aids
If you’ve tried sleep aids a few times and still aren’t feeling any relief, talk to your doctor. They may suggest cognitive behavioral therapy to help form new sleep habits or authorize short-term use of prescription sleep aids to help you get the relief you need.
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