Published on 30 June 2023

Hydroxyzine For Sleep - Is It Useful?

Medication blogs Hydroxyzine-For-Sleep
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Sleep is an important thing a person should take into consideration. Compromising sleep can be hard for people and generate problems in the body. Some people generally go through sleep disorders like insomnia. 

To get perfect sleep, people tend to consume medications and believe that medicines can help to have a peaceful sleep. Millions of people from the USA suffer from sleep issues. Insomnia is one of the worst things a person suffers in getting sleep. The good thing about it is sleep problems like insomnia can be cured. 

Many medications are available in the pharmacy market, but choosing the right option is a task. Hydroxyzine is the medicine that comes into consideration for treating sleep issues. Let us know more in detail about Hydroxyzine helping for sleep.

What Is Hydroxyzine?

Hydroxyzine is a medication for treating allergic reactions such as itching on the skin. Hydroxyzine also helps people to relieve anxiety and tension. Hydroxyzine is used by children and adults. It can be used alone or with other medicines to treat a condition. Sometimes hydroxyzine is also given for sedative purposes for the surgery. It belongs to the drug class of antihistamines. 

How Does Hydroxyzine Work?

It is still unknown how exactly Hydroxyzine works in the body. But according to the observation, the medicine works on two chemicals in the body called serotonin and histamines. 

As all antihistamines work similarly, Hydroxyzine blocks the effects of histamines, making the human body sleep. Serotonin in the body affects the person's mood, which tends to help treat Anxiety and sleep issues. Its primary application is typically for treating generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), particularly when accompanied by insomnia.

Hydroxyzine And Sleep

Cognitive behavior therapy is one of the first-line treatments for Insomnia. People go to various options when treating sleep issues. In terms of medicine, Hydroxyzine is used for insomnia in people suffering from PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder).

It is advised for people who take Prazosin, and it doesn’t work well on the body. Once the medicine is consumed, it helps the person to sleep peacefully and reduces nightmares. It works well on people who suffer from cirrhosis and go through different sleep conditions. As per the study, Hydroxyzine is not the first-line treatment for insomnia.

Hydroxyzine Dosage For Sleep

People suffering from sleep should take proper Hydroxyzine dosage. You should take prior information about the medicine from the medical practitioner. Never overdose or lower your dose than the doctor has suggested. Otherwise, you won’t see the necessary changes in your sleep issues.

  • Initial Dose: 25mg.
  • Continuation Dose: According to the doctor’s advice,
  • Maximum Dose: 100mg.

This is a standard dose of Hydroxyzine; Whenever you are about to take a prescription, the dosage might change according to different aspects of your body.

How Long Does Hydroxyzine Take To Work For Sleep?

Any medication you take for treating a condition takes a stipulated time to show effects on your body. The working of the medicine in your body will depend on various factors such as age, weight, and the severity of the condition. 

Hydroxyzine can take around 15-30 minutes; at maximum, it can show effects on your body within 2 hours. 

Possible Side Effects

Side effects are common if you take it for the first time. But side effects are divided into two types, common and severe. If you suffer from common side effects, they can go away in time, but if you suffer from severe effects, you should get medical help from a doctor.

Common Side Effects

Severe Side Effects

Drowsiness

Faster heartbeats

Mild headache

headache

Dry mouth

Chest pain

Rashes

Dizziness

Difficulty breathing

Seizures

Side effects should be considered. Negligence can cause a severe health issue that might cause your life.

Precautions Of Hydroxyzine

A certain caution should be taken before you consume any medication. While consuming Hydroxyzine, you should inform your doctor about all the medicines that you have been taking for any other condition. If at all you do not follow the precautions, you may be affected by the side effects mentioned above.

Make sure you inform the doctor about 

  • Allergic reactions you have been suffering 
  • If you are hypersensitive to any medicine
  • If you have suffered from medical conditions like prostate hyperplasia or respiratory diseases.
  • Do not use heavy machinery or any work that needs your 100% attention.
  • Avoid drinking alcohol
  • If you suffer from any side effects, inform your doctor about the same.
  • Do not overdose on medicine.
  • Inform your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions Of Hydroxyzine For Sleep

Drug interactions are possible when you consume one medicine with another, and they do not tend to mix up well, and those medicinal compounds work against each other. If the medicines interact, you might suffer from side effects leading to severe circumstances.

Medicines that can interact with Hydroxyzine are as follows:

Beware of using medicines with Hydroxyzine. If you tend to consume mistakenly, contact your doctor and get the necessary treatment quickly.

Also, Read

Bottom Line From Practical Anxiety Solutions

The main purpose of using Hydroxyzine is totally different. It treats conditions like itchiness caused by allergies. It is also used for various purposes, such as sleep, anxiety, etc. Whenever you face any conditions, you should take the doctor's advice. If you do not get a prescription from an expert, it can lead you to different side effects.

When you have been prescribed Hydroxyzine for sleep purposes, know all the precautionary measures and the side effects it can cause. The dosages should be followed thoroughly and never compromise on consuming dosage strengths.

Frequently asked questions

Hydroxyzine can make you happier because of the properties it holds. It has no situation of any addiction, abuse, or drug dependency.
Yes, You can take Hydroxyzine for longer periods of time for the conditions such as sleep and anxiety.
The effect of sedation due to Hydroxyzine will start after 30-45 minutes of consumption. The effects last for a few hours only, depending on the person consuming.