There Are Better Ways To A Good Nytol (Nytol 16 Caplets)

Member Name: plipplop

Product:	Nytol 16 Caplets
Date:	23/01/09 (571 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Some relief from insomnia

Disadvantages: Noticeable side effects and a bad habit to get into

There are times in life when you just can't sleep and when you're tired, it's really, really annoying. We all probably suffer from insomnia from time to time, for a huge variety of reasons. For me, it's probably just a reasonably normal level of stress. If I'm working on a particularly busy project or have a particularly obstinate problem, it soon interrupts my sleep. I get into bed, feeling absolutely exhausted and then the lights go out and "bang" I'm wide-awake. It's like I can't turn my head off, hundreds of words, numbers and thoughts buzzing around like angry insects, irritating each other and banging off the inside of my brain.

Most GPs will not prescribe sleeping tablets. They tend to be terribly addictive. Even after a very short course, your body soon starts to crave more and it's easy to get into a rapid downward spiral. There are, however, various alternatives available from pharmacists that aren't addictive and, through occasional use, purport to be able to aid a good night's sleep.

The market leader, Nytol, retails at around £4.50 for 15 caplets. You can get them in most chemists, but you have to ask for them over the counter. They're sized at the usual size for these things (like a standard painkiller) and go down easily with a glass of water with no real taste. The standard dosage is for two capsules to be taken about twenty minutes before you go to bed, obviously to allow the drug to take some effect for when you actually hit the sack.

The active ingredient in Nytol is diphenhydramine hydochloride. It's an antihistamine, which means that it's effective in alleviating the symptoms of allergies, insect bites and hives. Like most antihistamines, it also has a sedative effect - this is why hay fever sufferers cannot take antihistamines like Benadryl or Zirtek before driving because there is a risk that they might nod off at the wheel. Different antihistamines have sedative effects of different strengths and Nytol is probably best described as a relatively mild sedative. It doesn't promise to knock you out, it can only really help you fall asleep quicker and/or stay in a slightly deeper sleep once you're out.

I use Nytol from time to time. There's also an herbal variety, but I found that completely ineffective. Nytol has a slightly better success rate, but is not something I would use very often, nor would I recommend it to anyone who's suffering from serious insomnia. As and when I use Nytol, I find that I can still lie in bed for a little while, but then suddenly, my mind seems to slow down artificially, enabling me to relax enough to nod off. I don't sleep any longer than I would do normally and always seem to wake up at the same time in the morning. Notably, however, it takes longer the morning after to wake up properly and I feel unpleasantly drowsy for a good thirty or forty minutes after I get up. As such, it's not to be recommended the night before an early start or before a day when you need to feel very alert, very early in the day.

There are also side effects. I always wake up with a very dry mouth and throat and find myself drinking gallons of water the next day. Occasionally, the dryness verges on being an unpleasantly sore throat, which can offset the benefits of having a better sleep. The dehydration can also cause a headache - reported as a severe side effect in some, but something that seems to last for just a few minutes after I wake up for me. The warning leaflet lists a rather more protracted list of potential side effects (twitching, urinary infection, blurred vision, constipation and many more) none of which I've experienced but then everybody reacts to these things very differently.

The reality is that (extreme stress aside) the only way to really ensure a good night's sleep is to ensure that you look after yourself and I've had much more success simply through being sensitive to my own body. Caffeine, for example, is a complete no-no - one cup of coffee and I will go without sleep for 48 hours. Music is also a critical factor - listen to pumping house music all day and, not surprisingly, your brain is too stimulated to relax properly. I find that a heavy meal late in the day is a recipe for a bad night's sleep, as is too much wine or cognac. There are ways to set yourself up for a good night's sleep. A hot soak in the bath, reading a good book, listening to some chilled music or rampant sex are all good ideas but the only surefire way is to condition yourself not to get stressed about it. Only very occasionally will I now turn to Nytol as I'm not convinced it's particularly good for me and, in all honesty, it isn't really that effective either.

(For reference, the patient leaflet advises that this is not suitable for asthmatics, pregnant women, or for anyone suffering from gastric or intestinal obstructions, enlarged prostate or bladder neck obstruction. Personally, I'd just check with the chemist.)

Summary: Reasonably effective, over-the counter sleep aid