FAQ: Common Questions on Why Benadryl Makes You Feel Drowsy

Question 1

Q: How does Benadryl work?

Accepted Answer

A: Diphenhydramine works by blocking histamine receptors in the body. Histamines are naturally occurring chemicals that play a role in immune responses and inflammation. When your body encounters something it perceives as a threat- like pollen or pet dander - mast cells release histamines which cause the classic allergic reaction symptoms of itching, redness and swelling.

Question 2

Q: Why does Benadryl make me so tired?

Accepted Answer

A: Unfortunately along with blocking histamines from doing their job come some other unintended effects. In addition to affecting our airways during allergy season , those same chemical messengers also promote wakefulness throughout the day when levels peak.

Question 3

Q: Can't I just take non-drowsy allergy medicine instead?

Accepted Answer

A; Absolutely! There are several antihistamines available over-the-counter today that don’t carry a risk for sedation including loratadine( brand name Claritin), cetirizine (brand name Zyrtec) and fexofenadine (brand name Allegra). Not all people experience drowsiness on diphenhydramine, it depends on the person's response and dosage!

Question 4

Q: So why do some people take Benadryl as a sleep aid?

Accepted Answer

A: Diphenhydramine has also been shown to have sedative effects outside of its use as an antihistamine. In fact, it is often included in medications specifically marketed as "nighttime" or "PM" formulas to help induce drowsiness. However, medical professionals advise against using over-the-counter sleeping aids for long term insomnia since they can both impair their quality of consciousness (even lowering…