Drowsy is not the same as sleeping well

Something can make you feel drowsy without improving the quality of your sleep.

Alcohol may make falling asleep feel easier while making later sleep lighter or more disrupted. Some medicines and nighttime products can also cause next-day drowsiness. Melatonin may help with certain sleep-timing problems, but it is not a general fix for every kind of poor sleep.

Before adding a sleep product, name the problem you are trying to solve. Are you leaving too little time for sleep? Struggling to fall asleep? Waking repeatedly? Feeling exhausted after a full night?

For most people, buying a product is not the best first move. Start with the cause you can identify. Ask a healthcare professional or pharmacist if you regularly rely on something to become drowsy or have questions about medicines or supplements.

Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine based on this article.

Sources

• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Healthy Sleep Habits. Reviewed March 24, 2022.
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Insomnia Treatment. Reviewed March 24, 2022.
• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Melatonin: What You Need To Know.
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Some Medicines and Driving Don’t Mix.
• American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Clinical Practice Guideline for the Pharmacologic Treatment of Chronic Insomnia in Adults. 2017.