Best OTC sleep aid there is. Melatonin is not what everyone thinks it is.
Comment on Anon takes the pink pill
Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 weeks ago
Do not fuck with benadryl. Do not even take it for allergies.
JoeBigelow@lemmy.ca 3 weeks ago
Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 weeks ago
That is how you get dementia.
JoeBigelow@lemmy.ca 3 weeks ago
Maybe if you try to trip by taking 100+mg, or use it every single night for a period of decades, sure. If you have a chronic sleep problem you should talk to a doctor, like any chronic issues, before using OTC drugs for any extended length of time. But for short term use you’re just spreading misinformation. Cite your sources or don’t do that.
swab148@lemm.ee 3 weeks ago
Can you expand on that? I take melatonin every day, have I been poisoning myself?
Kraven_the_Hunter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
It’s more of a placebo than an actual sleep aid. It’s not harmful though. If you want to take it, don’t worry. If you think it helps, then in some small way it does.
dmMeYourNudes@lemmynsfw.com 3 weeks ago
It’s most useful to take 2-3 hours before bed to reset your circadian rhythm. Essentially it mimics the melatonin you make at sun down to prepare your body for sleep. You only need 1-2 mg to do this.
JoeBigelow@lemmy.ca 3 weeks ago
I even think 1 mg is too much. It’s active in microgram doses. Also read the Wikipedia page, it’s poorly regulated and pills can contain upwards of 4x what they say.
meowMix2525@lemm.ee 3 weeks ago
I’ve heard of people developing a dependence on it when taking it regularly. Especially kids.
I use it a couple times a year for the occasional restless night and it seems to work for me.
It’s not inherently harmful afaik but it could disrupt your sleep if for any reason you have to stop taking it.
IoSapsai@lemm.ee 3 weeks ago
Eh one every now and then is fine, I take it for motion sickness when going on long car rides. Half a pill is enough. Then again, taking enough to get nightshade-like poisoning is really not recommended.
candyman337@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Long term use has now been linked to neurological issues, it crosses the blood brain barrier. However, yes occasional use is relatively safe. But it is not recommended as a daily antihistamine at all these days.
IoSapsai@lemm.ee 3 weeks ago
Oh yes, I’m completely aware. I’m a pharmacist with allergies. I always try to talk my patients out of first-gen antihistamines. Bilastine is my go to these days for myself. Zyrtec and generics as OTCs.