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Old November 20, 2009, 01:48 PM   #12
FrankenMauser
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Join Date: August 25, 2008
Location: In the valley above the plain
Posts: 13,424
Quote:
Two Tylenol PM and it is lights out for me.
Tylenol PM and Benadryl contain fair amounts of the antihistamine Diphenhydramine. Diphenhydramine suppresses REM sleep, which causes a loss of sleep quality, which leads to groginess and lower immune function.
So... you're often better off getting the "crappy sleep", staying up the night before to ensure you're tired enough to sleep, or using a small quantity of alcohol to make the lights go out. (The 'night cap' has little effect on sleep patterns.)

I no longer have sleep problems before a hunt. I did in my younger years, but not any more. I just don't get worked up. I really look forward to hunts, throughout the year, but it doesn't get my anxiety level up now.


As a side note: One of the reasons the common "PM" medications have strong warnings about repeated use, is the REM suppression factor. Repeated loss of REM sleep (sometimes as few as 3 days with the medication) can lead to major dysfunction. The last thing I need, while walking through the woods, is to start hallucinating or having uncontrolled muscle spasms.
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