Is Nyquil a drug of choice?

[Durandal]

At some point in my early twenties, I got into the dreadful habit of taking Nyquil nearly every night in order to fall asleep. I wouldn't even call the unnatural vacuity of a state that drugs like doxylamine and diphenhydramine HCI tend to induce in me as "sleep", and I would call it a lack of quality sleep. So I find it hard to imagine that anyone would have a pleasant association with the sleep itself.

That said, I recall the somewhat gradual-yet-rapid druggy sensation that would overtake me shortly before I would black out for the night. I much prefer the feel of melatonin or the natural onset of sleep after a particularly trying day (or two), to the odd, synthetic vibe I get from most otc/prescription sleep aids I've tried - so don't get me wrong - but I did eventually grow accustomed to the semi-rewarding sense that is Nyquil kicking in and over time I did come to think of the very act of taking Nyquil as some of a tranquilizing ritual. Just the headspace I'd get in knowing I was about to knock myself out abruptly-but-perceptively became mildly habit-forming.

I do realize now and have long since known that this is retarded, that natural sleep is far healthier and more psychologically fulfilling and that because of the APAP alone it is unwise to become habituated to Nyquil or Tylenol PM. To be clear, I'd generally take only the exact amount consistent with the dosing instructions on the label or slightly less, but after a while I remember having to increase it just a bit for it to work at all.

Out of curiosity, do you know how much Nyquil your friend would take? It's funny because I had no idea what DXM could do in doses far greater than the ones I was taking incidentally here.

Doxylamine is actually a great hypnotic compared to other antihistamines as far as OTC sleep aids go. Combined with alcohol, which is quite present in Nyquil, the effects are very sedating.

[Arm]

Doxylamine is actually a great hypnotic compared to other antihistamines as far as OTC sleep aids go. Combined with alcohol, which is quite present in Nyquil, the effects are very sedating.

As a chronic insomniac, I greatly agree with this. Probably the best OTC sleeping medicine out there. But seriously, instead of taking nyquil, just take pills of Unisom. This way your not getting all the other crap thats in nyquil or risk damaging your liver by daily dosing of acetaminophen.

[levomethorphan]

Doxylamine beat *phenobarbital* in a study regarding sedative-hypnotics. No joke It's in the PDR even. Doxylamine is badass. Too bad it's so expensive.

NyQuil has DXM like chocolate has caffeine. Yawn.