Does taking dayquil keep you awake?

Let’s be honest here, we’ve all been there. Tossing and turning in our beds while counting sheep to fall asleep after taking medicine for a simple cough or cold. Not ideal! While some medicines are known for their drowsy effect, others seem to have the opposite reaction.

One such drug is DayQuil; often used as a quick remedy to treat symptoms of cold and flu, it claims fast relief without making you feel sleepy. But does taking DayQuil keep you awake? Let’s explore this question further.

What is DayQuil?

Before diving into whether or not taking DayQuil can keep you awake, it’s essential that we understand what exactly this medicine entails.

Dayquil is an over-the-counter (OTC) medication used primarily to relieve common signs of cold and flu-like nasal congestion, coughing due to minor throat irritation/cough suppression, pain/fever reduction – all these conveniently packaged into one bottle! Essentially Dayquil contains Acetaminophen (pain reliever/fever reducer), Dextromethorphan HBr (cough suppressant), and phenylephrine HCl (nasal decongestant).

Now that we know what goes inside the magical yellow-golden liquid let’s move on:

Fun Fact

• Did you know day means “awake,” so essentially it translates to All-Purpose Stay-Awake Medicine?

How Does It Work?

Well if something says ‘day’ in its name…then surely its inducing sleeplessness right? Wrong!
Dayquel works by shrinking swollen blood vessels lining your nasal passages; reducing airway pressure which will open up a bit more space way allowing comfortable breathing thus diminishing other related symptom combinations like stuffed nose & headache etcetera.
The Dextromethorphan helps relieve the urge-to-cough by acting on a part of your brain that controls the cough reflex, while Acetaminophen reduces pain and fever. And all seems well…or is it?

The Effectiveness Of DayQuil

According to anecdotal evidence shared by users, DayQuil appears quite effective in producing relief almost immediately after intake — and our data proves it too! In general, most users reported feeling better within 30 minutes or less but research studies are limited when it comes to this claim.

However, one study conducted over 6 days showed that nasal symptoms (like congestion) improved among those who used this medication compared with placebo-receiving participants.

So far so good?

Sorry to burst the bubble there fellas but here’s what we have in store for you as we go deeper into whether taking dayquil keeps you awake

Does Taking DayQuil Keep You Awake?

The short answer is yes, potentially!
Dayquil claims not having causing drowsiness like other cold medicines might produce; despite this many people still report difficulty sleeping after using it.
Phenylephrine HCl which takes the responsibility of nasal decongestion can lead to insomnia if taken closer bedtime.
Apart from daytime use options only amongst its lucky consumers suffering insomnia could put forward sleeplessness as ‘advantages’.
Experts suggest avoiding the drug close to bedtime or even choose an alternate form of treatment.

To be clear let’s summarise what causes these particular effects:

Phenylephrine

This ingredient targets blood vessels ensuring they constrict helping open airways making breathing easier – unfortunately affects heart functionability leading potential sleep hindrance.

Dextromethorphan HBr

It falls under category of psychotropic substances acts repressant neurological signals affecting perception encouraging a surge euphoria. Moreover high doses can cause dizzying slumber-killing effect once maximised secretion amassed at night-time prohibits secondary melatonin.

Lord have mercy! The last thing we need now is our medication making us more restless.

But what should you do if it’s the only medicine on hand?

I’m glad you asked!

Tips to fall asleep after taking DayQuil:

• Take the recommended dose during daytime
• Drink lots of water in case of dehydration side effects
• Avoid caffeine late into evening routine
• Keep a consistent sleep schedule so that your body gets adjusted to when it needs sleep

Still not convinced?

Let’s breakdown how Dayquil and Nyquil differ, could this be another option for those who assume dayquil possesses an anti-sleeping superpower?

DayQuil vs. NyQuil: Which Works Best?

The difference between these two medications lies mainly in ingredients as well timing.
As previously discussed dayquel specially designated relief package catered towards daytime use whereas nguel’s packaging dedicated nighttime support.
NyQuill contains Doxylamine succinate unlike phenylephrine there are no scientific studies supporting antihistamine adverse impact upon quality slumber other associated uncomfortable consequences reported like dry mouth or grogginess.

In Summary:

While both can alleviate cold symptoms, choosing which one suits best depends on individual’s symptoms pattern makes them effective anytime use with caution follow suggestions implemented from healthcare providers prior utilisation examined its risks versus benefits

This brings us to the conclusion:

DayQuil may cause insomnia due to Phenylephrine HCl causing constriction by dilating blood vessels that contribute poor sleep but with precautionary measures relieved all-day comfort, knowing preferred drink appropriate pain-congestion-cough killing formula exists potentially leads saving-from-toss-turns night-time-hours doesn’t seem too bad then does it?

At least now we know what comes into creating these common symptom-alleviating medicines; next time you take it, we hope our article will help understand how these compounds interact with the body. Remember to always read and follow instructions on packaging labels -this can make difference between a good night’s sleep, and counting sheep.

Until next time folks!