Is the medicine you take for sniffles and congestion keeping you awake? Most of us have a hard time sleeping if we can’t breathe easily, yet few suspect that their allergy medicines cause insomnia. That problem may be more common than you imagine.
Why Do OTC Allergy Medicines Cause Insomnia?
Q. I used to find that over-the-counter allergy medicines made me sleepy. Now they usually keep me awake. Is there an explanation for this?
Could It Be the Decongestant?
A. There are two possibilities. Many manufacturers of allergy remedies now include decongestants in some of their formulas. Ingredients like pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine can be stimulating and cause insomnia for some people. Unless you check the label you might not realize your allergy medicine has an unexpected addition.
One tip-off that your allergy medicine has a decongestant is the letter “D” in the name. For example, Allegra-D, Claritin-D or Mucinex D all contain pseudoephedrine. That is no guarantee, though. Actifed and Sudafed also contain pseudoephedrine. This drug can leave some people quite stimulated and awake for hours. A claim on the label that the drug is “non-drowsy” should prompt a close examination of the ingredients.
A fairly comprehensive review of 59 trials of allergy medicines found that those with antihistamines alone are less likely to cause insomnia than those containing decongestants (Glacy et al, AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, July 2013). A combination of guaifenesin and the decongestant pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (Mucinex D) alleviated nasal congestion but these allergy medicines cause insomnia (LaForce, Gentile & Skoner, Postgraduate Medicine, July 2008).
Have You Changed?
Another explanation for your reaction to allergy medicine might be that your nervous system may have changed. Many children and some adults react to antihistamines with restlessness and wakefulness rather than drowsiness. You might want to experiment with different antihistamines to find one that doesn’t keep you awake.
Revised 12/18/17
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