Occasionally I have run across old ladies that say they use Tylenol to help them sleep (not Tylenol P.M., mind you -- the regular stuff). I would always blow it off, thinking that it was all in their heads.
Now on some of our standing orders, the docs have Tylenol ordered at h.s. PRN for sleep!
Since I have never taken anything to help me sleep (I do just fine on my own), I just gotta ask -- does it work? Has anyone out there actually used regular Tylenol as a sleeping pill?
I've heard that Tylenol does, indeed, make some folks sleepy.
On the other hand, I think there are lots of people like my mother. She takes a Tylenol PM every night, religiously. When I mentioned that she might as well take Benadryl and not possibly damage her liver, she tried it. Claimed it didn't work, no matter how many times I try to tell her it's the SAME sleep-inducing medication.
I have gotten up after tossing and turning for a hour or so and taken a couple Xtra strength tylenol. I doubt that it is really any sleep enhancing properties, but it does relieve whatever it is that keeps you from relaxing enough to get to sleep. Aches, unidentifiable pains, whatever.
I agree, I took a Tylenol at work a couple of times and it made me so drowsy. I have no idea why or how but that is the only thing that could have done it. I stick with ibuprofen now!
Yes, Tylenol 1000 mgs at bedtime works for this ol' lady! Yessiree! My slumber is sweet after taking me Tylenol. Don't know why it works for me, but it does, and I'm ever soooooooo glad it does. :)
I occasionally work Peds ER and I have had multiple parents and children of varying ages say that Motrin makes them sleepy- go figure, I have always assumed that it was because it relieved pain and now the pt could rest?
Oh thank you! I thought I was kooky....I occasionally take a couple of Advil for back pain and I sleep 4 hours straight, every time.
My Grandma who was NOT a pill taker swore by a couple of Tylenol at bedtime...I have always assumed it helped the minor aches that she didn't realize she had...my Mom pops a couple when she can't sleep also. Both took/take Tylenol during the day for headaches etc without getting sleepy.
I work both LTC and peds and both report that Tylenol causes sleep. The LTC faclilty I work at has a standing PRN order for Tylenol for "insomnia". In peds parents often report that Advil/Motrin make the kiddies sleepy. I've heard both enough times to believe that there is something to the reports. Who knows.
dianthe1013
87 Posts
I've heard that Tylenol does, indeed, make some folks sleepy.
On the other hand, I think there are lots of people like my mother. She takes a Tylenol PM every night, religiously. When I mentioned that she might as well take Benadryl and not possibly damage her liver, she tried it. Claimed it didn't work, no matter how many times I try to tell her it's the SAME sleep-inducing medication.
Oh well. :)
Donna :)