Can I take 2 Unisom SleepTabs?
Can I take more than 1 tablet of
Taking too much Unisom Sleep Gels can lead to serious heart problems, seizures, coma, or death. Do not use this medicine to make a child sleepy. Unisom Sleep Gels sleep aid medicine is not for use in children younger than 12 years old.
Adults and children 12 years of age and over:
Take 1 tablet at bedtime if needed, or as directed by a doctor. If you feel drowsy in the morning, consult a doctor or pharmacist as you may require a lower dose (25 mg).
The usual dose for adults and children 12 years of age and older to help with sleep is 25 mg to 50 mg taken by mouth at bedtime. Some people may only need to take 25 mg at bedtime if they are drowsy in the morning (e.g., they find it interferes with their daily activities) after taking the 50 mg dose.
Product Information. What is this product / Purpose? Directions: Adults and children 12 years of age and over: take one tablet 30 minutes before going to bed; take once daily or as directed by a doctor.
Symptoms of overdose may include: large pupils, flushing, fever, hallucinations, weakness, shaking (tremor), muscle twitching, loss of consciousness, seizures. In children, excitement may occur first, and may be followed by loss of coordination, drowsiness, loss of consciousness, seizures.
An overdose of sleeping pills can be extremely dangerous and potentially life-threatening. It can cause symptoms such as: Drowsiness or extreme sleepiness. Confusion or disorientation.
The sedative action of Unisom® may last up to 6 hours. Can I take Unisom® regularly? Unisom®, non-prescription sleeping pills, should only be used to relieve occasional sleeplessness. If your sleeplessness lasts for more than two weeks, talk to your doctor.
Adult dosing for doxylamine is as follows: For insomnia (adults and children 12 and older): 25 to 50 mg orally at bedtime as needed, dosed 30 minutes before sleep. [14] For allergy symptoms (adults and children 12 and older): 12.5 mg orally every 4 to 6 hours as needed, with a maximum dosage of 75 mg daily.
The majority of them — ZzzQuil, TylenolPM and Unisom SleepGels — contain diphenhydramine as the active ingredient, the same compound in Benadryl. (Unisom SleepTabs use doxylamine, another antihistamine.)
Can I take 2 Unisom 25 mg sleep tabs?
Adults and children 12 years of age and over: 2 tablets (25 mg each) at bedtime if needed, or as directed by a doctor. sleeplessness persists continuously for more than 2 weeks. Insomnia may be a symptom of serious underlying medical illness.
“Unisom is generally considered the stronger of the two products, while melatonin is usually seen as a gentler option for occasional sleeplessness,” says Dr. Middleton.

Based on clinical practice, the recommended adult dose for doxylamine hydrogen succinate as a nighttime sleep aid is 25 mg, once daily, taken orally up to half an hour before bedtime. If drowsiness is excessive, the dosage should be reduced to 12.5 mg. Doses higher than 25 mg are not recommended.
From the United States
Chronic insomniac here. Unisom helps me fall asleep within 30 minutes and helps keep me asleep throughout the night. I use 0.25 tab PRN.
What is the maximum dose of diphenhydramine for sleep? When used as a sleep aid the maximum recommended dosage is 76mg for diphenhydramine citrate or 50mg for diphenhydramine hydrochloride.
Sleep medication | Helps you fall asleep | Can lead to dependence |
---|---|---|
Triazolam (Halcion) | ✔ | ✔ |
Zaleplon (Sonata) | ✔ | ✔ |
Zolpidem (Ambien, Edluar, Zolpimist) | ✔ | ✔ |
Zolpidem extended release (Ambien CR) | ✔ | ✔ |
The usual oral dose of doxylamine succinate as an antihistamine for adults and children 12 years and older is 7.5–12.5 mg every 4–6 h, not to exceed 75 mg within 24 h.
Are Unisom ® sleep-aids considered non-habit-forming? Unisom's OTC medicinal sleep-aids and drug-free supplements are non-habit forming and safe when used as directed.
Keep in mind that many over-the-counter sleep aids contain an antihistamine, such as ZzzQuil (diphenhydramine) and Unisom (doxylamine). And as discussed above, antihistamines may cause weight gain.
- Nervous system. Common (1% to 10%): Sedation/somnolence/sleepiness, drowsiness, unsteadiness, dizziness, headache, attention disturbance. ...
- Gastrointestinal. ...
- Other. ...
- Psychiatric. ...
- Cardiovascular. ...
- Hematologic. ...
- Hypersensitivity.
How long should you wait to take another sleeping pill?
"They last about three or four hours, so you could take another pill up until about 3 a.m. because it would metabolize before you wake up," says Ana Krieger, M.D., a sleep specialist at New York University.
Doxylamine is an antihistamine that at toxic doses can cause anticholinergic effects, including seizures, rhabdomyolysis and death.
When taken correctly, per the instructions on each product label, Unisom products can help you both fall asleep faster and reduce waking up in the middle of the night. However, our products are meant to be taken on a temporary basis only.
Is there an OTC equivalent to Ambien? Drowsy antihistamines work similarly to Ambien. Other options include taking melatonin or valerian root. However, a person with difficulty falling or staying asleep should contact a healthcare professional as soon as possible.
Are Unisom Sleep Tabs safe to use? Like all medications, Unisom Sleep Tabs can have potential side effects. The most common side effects of Unisom Sleep Tabs include dry mouth, dizziness, and drowsiness. These side effects are usually mild and go away on their own after a few days of use.
A toxic dose for children of more than 1.8 mg/kg has been reported. A 3-year-old child died 18 hours after ingesting 1,000 mg doxylamine succinate. Rarely, an overdose results in rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney injury.
If you are taking doxylamine to treat insomnia, you will probably become very sleepy soon after you take the medication and will remain sleepy for some time after you take the medication. Plan to remain asleep for 7 to 8 hours after taking the medication.
Usual Adult Dose for Insomnia
25 mg orally once a day 30 minutes before bedtime. Duration of Therapy: No more than 2 weeks consecutively.
Can I take more than 1 tablet of doxylamine (Unisom SleepTabs) a day? Unless directed by provider, taking more than 1 tablet of this medication in a day can increase your risk of side effects, such as excessive sleepiness.
Using doxylamine together with melatonin may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination.
What can I take instead of Unisom?
Summary. If you have occasional insomnia, it may be reasonable to use an over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aid containing the antihistamine diphenhydramine or doxylamine succinate. Diphenhydramine is found in OTC sleep aids like Sominex and Nytol, while doxylamine succinate is found in OTC sleep aids like Unisom.
Duration of action is 6-8 hours. Following oral administration of a single 25 mg dose of doxylamine succinate in healthy adults, mean peak plasma concentrations of about 100 ng/mL occur within 2- 3 hours after administration. The drug has an elimination half-life of about 10 hours in healthy adults.
Doxylamine succinate is one of the most sedating antihistamines available over-the-counter (stronger than diphenhydramine). A single dose causes rapid and marked drowsiness in the vast majority of individuals. Doxylamine succinate is eliminated somewhat more slowly from the body than diphenhydramine hydrochloride.
Unisom Simple Slumbers® Sleep + Immunity are drug free, and contain 5 mg of melatonin, plus passionflower, lemon balm, and vitamin B6.
- Want to know how to fall asleep in 12 minutes or less? It may take some trial and error, but these strategies could help cure your insomnia (at least for tonight). ...
- Focus on your breath. ...
- Find some peace and quiet. ...
- Take a blue light break. ...
- Read a book or magazine. ...
- Try herbal tea. ...
- Get comfortable. ...
- Try melatonin.
Doxylamine succinate 10 mg/pyridoxine hydrochloride 10 mg delayed-release tablets (Diclegis): Maximum 4 tablets daily (i.e., 1 tablet in the morning, 1 tablet midafternoon, 2 tablets at bedtime).
Nonprescription medications
Other over-the-counter sleep medications, such as Unisom SleepTabs, contain 25 mg per pill of an antihistamine called doxylamine succinate. These medications work by blocking certain brain chemicals, which can have a sedating effect. They are generally safe but come with some risks.
Usual Adult Dose for Nausea/Vomiting
Initial dose: 2 tablets orally once a day at bedtime. Maintenance dose: 2 tablets orally once a day to 4 tablets orally 3 times a day. Maximum dose: 4 tablets/day.
People sometimes use antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine and doxylamine succinate, to combat insomnia. These over-the-counter medications are OK for occasional use in most people. However, they may increase the risk for dementia and Alzheimer's disease if taken long term.
There are 306 drugs known to interact with Unisom SleepTabs (doxylamine), along with 8 disease interactions, and 1 alcohol/food interaction. Of the total drug interactions, 17 are major, 288 are moderate, and 1 is minor.
What happens if you take more than 50 mg of diphenhydramine?
Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine that can cause life-threatening complications in the setting of overdoses. In mild cases, patients may experience anticholinergic toxidrome. Severe symptoms include delirium, psychosis, seizures, coma, and death. Fatal cases have been reported with ingestions > 20 mg/kg.
For mild allergy symptoms in adults and children ages 12 years and older, 25 mg to 50 mg of Benadryl is recommended every 4 to 6 hours. The most you should take in a 24-hour period is 300 mg. For children ages 6 to 11 years, the recommended dose is 12.5 mg to 25 mg every 4 to 6 hours as needed.
If you're taking any other medicine containing diphenhydramine and forget to take a dose, take your medicine when you next need it to ease your symptoms. Never take 2 doses at the same time. Never take an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one.
Z-drugs and benzodiazepines
Z-drugs like zolpidem (Ambien) and zaleplon (Sonata) are commonly prescribed to help you fall asleep, especially if you don't have chronic insomnia. They can be taken as needed and usually work within an hour. Benzodiazepines are another option.
In a small study of people who didn't respond to sleeping pills, many had undiagnosed sleep apnea. This sleep disorder causes you to temporarily stop breathing in your sleep. When this happens, you wake up, catch your breath, and then go back to sleep. The result is broken sleep that isn't restful.
If you're tired but can't sleep, it may be a sign that your circadian rhythm is off. However, being tired all day and awake at night can also be caused by poor napping habits, anxiety, depression, caffeine consumption, blue light from devices, sleep disorders, and even diet.
Unisom is considered safe to use during pregnancy by major medical groups, including the FDA and ACOG. “It's been around for a really long time,” says Bernstein, adding that studies have shown there's no legitimate concern.
When should I take Unisom®? You can take Unisom® about 30 minutes before bedtime. How long does Unisom® last? The sedative action of Unisom® may last up to 6 hours.
Although Unisom is generally considered safe during pregnancy, it's important to let your healthcare provider know if you are taking any medication while pregnant. Your healthcare provider may be able to recommend alternative treatment options for insomnia, nausea, or vomiting.
This drug combination may act on neurotransmitters in the brain that trigger feelings of nausea or disrupt other bodily processes that cause vomiting. Randomized controlled trials generally show that combinations of vitamin B-6 and doxylamine are effective in treating symptoms of morning sickness.
What happens if I take 2 doxylamine?
Frequently asked questions about Doxylamine (Unisom SleepTabs) Can I take more than 1 tablet of doxylamine (Unisom SleepTabs) a day? Unless directed by provider, taking more than 1 tablet of this medication in a day can increase your risk of side effects, such as excessive sleepiness.
According to Müller [2] the lethal dosage of doxylamine in humans is 25–250 mg/kg body weight.
Based on clinical practice, the recommended adult dose for doxylamine hydrogen succinate as a nighttime sleep aid is 25 mg, once daily, taken orally up to half an hour before bedtime. If drowsiness is excessive, the dosage should be reduced to 12.5 mg. Doses higher than 25 mg are not recommended.
Melatonin: Melatonin is considered one of the safest over-the-counter sleep aids, with few side effects. A prescription drug called ramelteon is designed to mimic the effects of melatonin. Like melatonin, it is not considered habit-forming and it does not affect balance.
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