{"id":26779,"date":"2022-11-28T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-28T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/otc-sleep-aids\/"},"modified":"2023-08-28T22:40:26","modified_gmt":"2023-08-28T22:40:26","slug":"otc-sleep-aids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/otc-sleep-aids\/","title":{"rendered":"Do OTC Sleep Aids Really Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If you struggle to get eight hours of quality sleep each night, you&#8217;re not alone. About <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhlbi.nih.gov\/health\/sleep-deprivation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">one in three American adults<\/a> doesn&#8217;t get enough sleep.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe you have a friend who swears by <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-melatonin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">melatonin<\/a> to sleep through the night. Or perhaps your partner raves about the calming effects of <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/cbd-for-sleep\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CBD<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But do over-the-counter sleep aids really work? We asked a sleep doctor to discuss popular OTC sleep aids and what science says about their safety and effectiveness.<\/p>\n<h2>What are the most common OTC sleep aids?<\/h2>\n<p>Most OTC sleep aids include one or more of the following ingredients:<\/p>\n<h3>Melatonin<\/h3>\n<p>&#8220;Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland that helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle,&#8221; explains <a href=\"https:\/\/iuhealth.org\/find-providers\/provider\/stephanie-m-stahl-md-70029\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stephanie Stahl<\/a>, MD, sleep medicine physician and assistant professor at Indiana University Health.<\/p>\n<p>Your body already creates melatonin to help you fall asleep on time, but exposure to evening light can block production.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/28648359\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Research<\/a>\u00a0suggests that taking a melatonin dietary supplement can relieve that circadian rhythm disruption. Thus, a\u00a0melatonin supplement might be worth a try if you work the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/shift-work-sleep-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">night shift<\/a>\u00a0or have\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/jet-lag-cures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">jet lag<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Common melatonin supplements include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Nature&#8217;s Bounty Melatonin<\/li>\n<li>Nutra Champs Melatonin Gummies<\/li>\n<li>Natrol Melatonin Liquid Sleep Support<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Diphenhydramine and doxylamine<\/h3>\n<p>Diphenhydramine and doxylamine are both antihistamines, a type of allergy medication. But these OTC medications also affect the nervous system, making you feel sleepy, according to Stahl.<\/p>\n<p>Because antihistamines influence more than just sleep, you should only take diphenhydramine and doxylamine if you&#8217;re also down with a cold, flu, or allergies.<\/p>\n<p>You can find diphenhydramine and doxylamine in <a href=\"https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/what-to-know-about-over-the-counter-sleep-aids\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">many OTC sleep aids<\/a>, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Advil PM<\/li>\n<li>Benadryl<\/li>\n<li>Tylenol Cold and Cough Nighttime<\/li>\n<li>Vicks NyQuil Cough<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Valerian<\/h3>\n<p>While people have used the herb valerian as an OTC sleep aid for centuries, scientists are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7585905\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">still on the fence<\/a> about its effectiveness.<\/p>\n<p>Stahl says valerian is thought to boost the neurotransmitter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/gaba-for-sleep\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GABA<\/a>, which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7527439\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">helps<\/a> reduce stress and encourage sleep. As such, valerian might be a helpful sleep aid if stress or <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/sleeping-with-anxiety\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">anxiety<\/a> keeps you up at night.<\/p>\n<p>You can find valerian in a variety of OTC sleep products, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Valerian Essential Oil (caution: for aromatherapy, not ingestion)<\/li>\n<li>Buddha Teas Valerian Root Tea<\/li>\n<li>Garden of Life, MyKind Organics, Sleep Well vegan tablets<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>CBD<\/h3>\n<p>CBD (aka <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK556048\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cannabidiol<\/a>) is a non-psychoactive compound in cannabis.<\/p>\n<p>Scientists are still investigating exactly how CBD affects sleep. What they know is that CBD influences your body&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2241751\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">endocannabinoid system<\/a>, which plays a role in your sleep-wake cycle.<\/p>\n<p>Though anecdotal evidence abounds for this popular sleep aid, a 2022 research <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC9036386\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">review<\/a> concluded that CBD has a minimal effect on <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/sleep-disorders\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sleep disorders<\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014<\/span>and can even negatively affect some people.<\/p>\n<p>Bottom line: It&#8217;s hard to say whether CBD will help you fall asleep faster or sleep more deeply. It&#8217;s best to consult your doctor before trying CBD oil, gummies, or tinctures.<\/p>\n<h2>Do OTC sleep aids work?<\/h2>\n<p>&#8220;For most people, OTC sleep aids are not significantly effective,&#8221; explains Stahl. The exception, she says, may be melatonin.<\/p>\n<p>The scientific <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aafp.org\/pubs\/afp\/issues\/2017\/0701\/p29.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">consensus<\/a> is that controlled-release melatonin is the only OTC sleep aid recommended for adults who struggle to fall asleep. Though melatonin might help you get a disrupted sleep schedule back on track, Stahl emphasizes that it&#8217;s not a proven solution for chronic <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/tips-for-treating-insomnia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">insomnia<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If you have chronic insomnia or fall asleep easily but struggle to stay asleep, even melatonin might not help. Chronic sleep problems call for a consultation with a medical professional.<\/p>\n<h2>Are OTC sleep aids safe?<\/h2>\n<p>&#8220;Just because something is available OTC without a prescription or reported as &#8216;natural&#8217; does not mean that it&#8217;s safe or safer,&#8221; Stahl warns.<\/p>\n<p>Always check with a medical professional before adding any new medication or supplement to your routine, sleep aids included.<\/p>\n<p>Even OTC medications can cause adverse side effects such as headaches, dizziness, or nausea. Sleep aids could also interact with other medicines you&#8217;re taking.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, while sleep aids like melatonin and CBD are considered generally safe for most people, they&#8217;re not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means it can be challenging to ensure product quality.<\/p>\n<h2>FAQs<\/h2>\n<h3>What is the best over-the-counter sleep aid?<\/h3>\n<p>Of all the over-the-counter sleep aids, melatonin has the most scientific backing. But since melatonin isn&#8217;t FDA-approved, product quality varies. Your best bet is to discuss your sleep problems with a medical professional and follow their guidance.<\/p>\n<h3>Is there an OTC equivalent to Ambien?<\/h3>\n<p>No OTC sleep aid matches the power of Ambien, which is a prescription-strength sedative <a href=\"https:\/\/medlineplus.gov\/druginfo\/meds\/a693025.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">used<\/a> to treat insomnia.<\/p>\n<h3>Do over-the-counter sleep aids work?<\/h3>\n<p>Whether an OTC sleep aid works depends on the cause of your sleeplessness and the quality and effectiveness of the product&#8217;s ingredients.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Just because something is advertised as a sleep aid does not mean that there&#8217;s data to support it being beneficial for the majority of people,&#8221; says Stahl.<\/p>\n<h2>The bottom line on OTC sleep aids<\/h2>\n<p>OTC sleep aids may help you manage short-term sleep problems like jet lag or sleeplessness due to anxiety or stress. However, they can also cause side effects and interactions with other medications.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s also important to understand that sleep aids are not meant to be taken all the time. Using them for longer than recommended could indicate an underlying health issue.<\/p>\n<p>Talk to your doctor if you&#8217;re interested in trying an OTC medication for sleep. A medical professional can help pinpoint the cause of your sleeplessness and guide you toward a safe, effective solution.<\/p>\n<p><em>Certain herbs and plants have medicinal properties that may aid in sleep. Check out our roundup of the <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/herbs-for-sleep\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">best herbs for sleep<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Maybe you have a friend who swears by melatonin to sleep through the night. Or perhaps your partner raves about the calming effects of CBD. But do over-the-counter sleep aids really work?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":69,"featured_media":26780,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[389,390],"tags":[],"coauthors":[422],"guest":[],"host":[],"class_list":["post-26779","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sleep-health","category-sleep-tips"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26779","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/69"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26779"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26779\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26780"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26779"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26779"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26779"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=26779"},{"taxonomy":"guest","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guest?post=26779"},{"taxonomy":"host","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/host?post=26779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}