Don't Take Benadryl And Melatonin Together At All Costs

Sleep: it feels amazing when you get enough of it, and downright miserable when you don’t. Nearly 15% of people in the U.S. say they have a hard time falling asleep most days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even more people struggle to stay asleep once they finally doze off. When you’re running on empty, it’s harder to focus, harder to read people’s emotions, and let’s be honest — you’re probably a bit crankier, too.

Sleep aids like Benadryl or melatonin may help, but you don’t want to take them together. Benadryl (or its active ingredient, diphenhydramine) can make you sleepy on its own, while melatonin helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle and signals your body that it’s time to wind down. Doubling up might sound like a good idea, but it can actually backfire, making you feel dizzy, foggy, or even confused even the next day. Older adults need to particularly avoid this combination because their judgment and thinking can be impaired.

The active ingredient in Benadryl is actually an antihistamine to treat allergy and cold symptoms such as a runny nose or itching eyes. One of its side effects is making you drowsy, which is why people may choose Benadryl or a generic form of diphenhydramine to help people sleep. You’ll also find diphenhydramine in sleep aids such as Nytol and Unisom, but it’s also found in some nighttime pain medications such as Excedrin PM or Advil PM. Just like Benadryl, you shouldn’t combine any of these diphenhydramine formulas with melatonin.

Although diphenhydramine may help you sleep, the National Institutes of Health advises adults over 65 not to take diphenhydramine unless advised by a doctor. Diphenhydramine stays in an older adult’s system for longer than younger adults. According to Scientific American, some research has found a link between long-term use of anticholinergic drugs like Benadryl and dementia or cognitive impairment.

The National Institutes of Health considers melatonin to be relatively safe in regulating your sleep cycle for the short term, but there isn’t enough evidence about the safety of taking melatonin for more than a few months. A 2021 review in the Journal of Pineal Research found that taking high doses of melatonin (more than 10 milligrams) increased the risks of headaches, drowsiness, and dizziness. Remember that melatonin isn’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so you may find dangerous or inaccurate levels of melatonin compared to what’s stated on the label.

Melatonin may be a good option to settle any jet lag or realign your sleep cycle (like changing your clocks twice a year), and short-term use of Benadryl may help you sleep during allergy season. If these options alone don’t help you sleep, consider other alternatives before combining melatonin and Benadryl. Your stress levels may be making sleep more difficult, so try incorporating stress management practices such as yoga, tai chi, or breathing techniques to help you sleep fast.

You may also take a closer look at your lifestyle a few hours before bedtime. That late afternoon trip to Starbucks may have helped get you through the end of your workday, but that caffeine may still be keeping you from a good night’s sleep. The Sleep Foundation says even a moderate amount of alcohol (two drinks for men or one drink for women) can cut your sleep quality by 24%. Even a late dinner hour may have your digestive system keeping you up later than desired, so consider shifting your heaviest meal earlier in the day.

If you are still having trouble sleeping, you may want to see your doctor about a possible sleep disorder. Although there are more than 80 types of sleep disorders, some common signs include taking longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep each night, feeling sleepy during the day, or problems falling back asleep after waking up several times during the night. Some sleep disorders may be caused by medications or mental health issues, but a sleep disorder may be a sign of heart disease or nerve disorders.