Need a good nights sleep? (Sleep Aids in general)

Member Name: salem_witch

Product:	Sleep Aids in general
Date:	11/06/04 (17037 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Helps you get a much needed sleep!

Disadvantages: They can be addictive., You can only take them for 2 weeks

Recently I have not been sleeping very well. I don?t know what the reason is but I have put it down to coming off medication. I have tried hot baths and milky drinks before bed but these have not worked. Even drinking before bed didn?t work. I had enough and decided to take a trip to the chemist for some sleeping tablets.

When I got there I asked for some Nytol. I had the choice between Nytol caplets, Nytol one-a-night and Nytol Herbal. Having taken the ?normal? Nytol caplets I decided to buy the Nytol one-a-night. For anyone who has never taken them before I will explain the difference. Basically Nytol caplets you get 16 caplets and you are advised to take one or two. One tablet contains 25mg Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride BP. Nytol one-a-night you also get 16 caplets and you take one tablet a night (as the name suggests!) One tablet contains 50mg Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride BP. So the only difference is there is double the active ingredient and you just take one tablet instead of two.

When taking the Nytol caplets in the past I have always taken two and that is why I opted for the one-a night. This way I get 16 dosages instead of 8. It works out cheaper as well.

Nytol caplets £2.89
Nytol One-A-Night £4.29

If you have never taken them before I suggest you go for the Nytol caplets. Everyone is different and some people may one need one of these to get a decent night sleep. If you?ve tried the Nytol caplets and normally take two then I would recommend the One-A-Night as you save money this way.



Nytol One-A-Night is an antihistamine, which causes sleepiness or drowsiness and is used to help relieve temporary sleeping difficulties. As mentioned before it contains 50mg Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride BP. They also contain Anhydrous Lactose, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Maize Starch, Stearic Acid and Silicon Dioxide for anyone who needs to know.

I won?t bore you with what the box looks like. You do need to
know that you shouldn?t take them if you have had any allergic reaction to Diphenhydramine before. It also warns that if you have asthma, narrow angle glaucoma, gastric or intestinal obstruction, enlargement of the prostate or bladder neck obstruction then you MUST NOT take them. It also recommends that you shouldn?t take them if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. If you are taking any other medication it is best to check with the pharmacist.

Although you don?t really need me to tell you this they do warn that you shouldn?t drive or operate machinery after taking them. It also tells you to avoid alcohol whilst using them. This is all common sense but I guess they have to tell us this!

Nytol One-A-Night is not recommended for children under the age of 16.

That?s all the warning out of the way. I can tell you how to use them now. You should take the caplet 20 minutes (with water) before you go to bed. I found them very easy to swallow. I found it helps if you do something that doesn?t require concentration. So it?s probably best not to read something taxing just before going to sleep. I have found a hot bath relaxes me but everyone is different.

If you do take a caplet and you find its not working then don?t take another tablet. It maybe tempting but its not worth it!

I have found them very effective and I would recommend them. After taking them I found myself getting drowsy quickly and managed to get a decent night sleep. I woke up feeling refreshed and glad that I managed more than 3 hours sleep! They are great to take if you are struggling to sleep because of jet lag or a change in your body clock. I remember last year I took one after having a week off work. I came back from visiting my friend in London. As I was driving back I realised that I needed to sleep before work that night. I took Nytol and I got to sleep no problem. However, when I woke up I still felt drowsy, as they hadn?t worn off. I have never done that
since as I was like a zombie at the start of my shift (until I had a few coffees!) I have found that after 8 hours they wear of. So only take them if you are going to get at least 8 hours sleep before going to work.

I have never had any major side effects but with all medication there are several you may experience. In the enclosed leaflet it states that you may experience dizziness, drowsiness, grogginess, nervousness, nausea or a dry mouth. If you do notice any of these it is best to tell the pharmacist or your doctor. The only thing I have found is I have very weird dreams. Nothing scary, just weird! That may just be me and not the tablets though!

If sleeping problems persist after 2 weeks then consult your doctor. I know I will be if I?m still using them!


The product licence holder is GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, Brentford, TW8 9GS. UK.
The manufactures are Wrafton Laboratories Ltd., Wrafton, Braunton, North Devon, EX33 2DL, UK.



Tips on getting a good nights sleep:
 Avoid taking naps or sleeping in the day.
 Have a warm bath before going to bed.
 Don?t have caffeine before going to bed.
 Make sure your bed is comfortable.
 Try and go to bed and the same time and get up at the same time.
 Make sure your bedroom is dark and quiet and at the right temperature.
 If you can?t sleep after going to bed don?t just toss and turn. Get up and do something else.
 Don?t go to bed unless you?re tired. I know it sounds silly but if you?re not tired then its best to stay up until you are!
 Avoid exercise in the evening.

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