Question by Robert W: Is it bad for the body to take sleeping pills every night, stay up until you’re VERY tired, then go to sleep?
I’m specifically wondering about over-the-counter pills like Acetaminophen (tylenol PM without the tylenol) and diphenhydramine HCL (Unisom).
If this is bad for the body why? Any alternatives for someone who has insomnia?
Best answer:
Answer by Iris
While fighting the medication and staying awake would put your body under stress, the real thing to consider here is how long you’ve been on the medication, and if you really need it because of the liver and kidney (and other) damage it causes over long periods of time.
Also, there is risk of dependency (sometimes physical but usually psychological with OTC- over the counter- medications).
I would recommend talking to your doctor about your insomnia.
There are always the traditional methods to help you sleep; more exercise, warm milk, etc. If you are like me though, you will need the proper medication from your doc to iron this one out.
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Most medication have side effects and should be avoided to take them in the long run if it is possible.
Tylenol PM contains two active ingredients, acetaminophen 500mg and diphenhydramine 25mg. Acetaminophen is used to treat pain and fever. Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine used for mild nighttime sedation as well as relief of nasal allergies, mild dermatosis, and motion sickness.
While acetaminophen is regarded as one of the safest pain relievers, long-term use of high dose acetaminophen can lead to liver damage. Another factor that increases the risk of liver damage from acetaminophen is alcohol consumption. In addition to Tylenol’s Simply Sleep®, there are several OTC sleep aids that contain the diphenhydramine component only.
You should discuss your choice of sleep-aid with your physician. He or she should be able to evaluate the potential for any underlying health risks that may apply in your individual circumstance and advise you as to what is the best option for you.
New research shows that long-term use of acetaminophen — sold under the brand name Tylenol — harms kidneys. This research was conducted on 1,700 women, and spanned 11 years. Overall, it showed that 10% of the women experienced a decline in their kidney function, indicating that their kidneys were being harmed by this over-the-counter painkiller. Women who took between 1,500 and 9,000 tablets over their lifetimes raised their risk of kidney impairment by 64%, and women who took more than 9,000 tablets increased their risk even further. This is yet more evidence of the dangers of consuming over-the-counter painkillers on a frequent basis. As a whole, over-the-counter painkillers are responsible for killing over 40,000 Americans each year — that includes aspirin, acetaminophen, and other painkillers.