ZzzQuil’s commercials promise that elusive good night’s sleep. So what is ZzzQuil?
“It's just that same old antihistamine called diphenhydramine, also known by its brand name Benadryl," Consumer Reports' Lisa Gill said. "It’s been on the market over 70 years and one of its side effects is drowsiness."
It’s also in Sominex, Simply Sleep and Unisom Sleep Gels. And it’s the ingredient that’s been added to these PM pain relievers to make you sleepy.
You can also buy generic diphenhydramine. It’s exactly the same active ingredient you find in ZzzQuil, but for 1/10 the price per dose. Products containing diphenhydramine do carry warnings and Consumer Reports says be wary.
“You could experience daytime drowsiness or confusion, problems urinating, constipation, dry mouth and there’s some evidence that if taken frequently diphenhydramine is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s,” Gill said.
Consumer Reports has these cautions when taking any sleep aid:
- Make sure you have a full night’s sleep after taking it.
- Don’t drive even after a full night’s sleep if you feel drowsy.
- Never mix it with alcohol or other sleep medication.
- And don’t take an extra dose if you wake up in the middle of the night.
