So, use in children may not be advisable,' says Dr. 'Melatonin is a hormone, and it may have effects on reproductive hormones, particularly at certain critical developmental windows. There are also safety concerns related to melatonin, particularly when it comes to use in children. But people who take melatonin on their own often take it incorrectly, minimizing any of the potential benefits it could produce. 'It may be useful in some cases to help shift your body's natural clock if you are jet-lagged, or in people who have circadian rhythm issues that are causing their sleep disturbances,' she says. Unfortunately, melatonin is generally not very effective in helping to treat chronic insomnia, says Dr. Natural sleep aidsĪntihistamine-based products may be the most common type of commercial sleep aids, but natural remedies such as melatonin are popular as well. Therefore, the benefits are unclear, while there appear to be real risks associated with long-term use. While some people feel that these over-the-counter products help them get a better night's sleep, there is limited research on their effectiveness, and the few reports out there indicate that improvements in sleep quality are very modest, says Dr. But while a pill can induce that sleepy feeling right before bed, it can linger in your system and can cause a groggy, hung-over feeling the following day.

This is why taking an antihistamine can make you feel sleepy. Bertisch.Īntihistamines are used in sleep aids because they affect what's known as a histamine receptor in your body, which plays a role in wakefulness. They don't realize that's what most sleep aids are,' said Dr. 'People taking sleep aids are essentially taking Benadryl. Most sleep aids are antihistamines, which are also commonly used in allergy medications. 'People don't realize that these companies are basically just repackaging one product,' she says. But the wide variety of brands may be deceiving. Some 15% to 20% of American adults take a nonprescription sleep aid in any given month, says Dr. You might not realize that sleep experts discourage the use of sleep aids when you're walking through the drugstore, where the shelves are typically stocked with various brands. In addition, most sleep aids fall into a category of drugs known as anticholinergics, which have been linked to dementia and Alzheimer's disease among heavy, long-term users, she says. These risks include short-term problems such as daytime sleepiness, grogginess, and falls. Suzanne Bertisch, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. 'And there are definite concerns about their risks,' says Dr. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) in 2017 officially recommended against treating chronic insomnia with common over-the-counter antihistamine and analgesic sleep aids as well as herbal and nutritional substances, such as valerian and melatonin, because there is not enough evidence that they are effective or safe. Will taking one help you get that deep slumber you crave?īefore you reach for that bottle, you might want to reconsider. You're in the pharmacy and notice an array of over-the-counter sleep aids, and you're tempted. You've spent the past few nights staring at the ceiling, thinking about your grocery list, lining up your tasks for the next day, or obsessing about your problem du jour - but what you really want to be doing is sleeping soundly. Explore more effective alternatives to help you get a good night's rest.

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