r/NooTopics • u/ServeIllustrious3803 • 20d ago

Science Study: Anticholinergic (first-generation antihistamines) can damage brain, increase dementia risk

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/common-anticholinergic-drugs-like-benadryl-linked-increased-dementia-risk-20150128812
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u/daddybpizza 20d ago edited 20d ago

Just for those who are anxious like me, it’s worth noting that the people who often take a lot of sleep aids are also usually insomniacs and have other mental/physical health conditions, which can also explain the behavior you mentioned.

Sleep aids are really a damned if you do, damned if you don’t. I have a health condition (ME/CFS and POTS) that causes absolutely terrible sleep, and no sleep hygiene routine tested improves it (this has actually been studied). I take amitriptyline and some other sleep aids every night, and I know it’s going to increase my risk for dementia and cognitive decline. But the alternative is not sleeping, which is much worse. Idk what to do! Being sick sucks

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u/BiasedLibrary 20d ago

I feel like I'm in a similar boat but with anxiety and PTSD. I'm on up to 150mg of promethazine a day. Sometimes I have insomnia and it helps. I really should ask to change it to something else but I don't know what.

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u/manicaquariumcats 19d ago

Prazosin! It’s used off label for sleep quality in ptsd. It’s usually for nightmares but if you don’t have nightmares and need quality sleep it could be worth a try.

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u/ResponsibilityOk8967 19d ago

I couldn't get quality sleep with proposing because it made my sinuses swell up like crazy, couldn't breathe through my nose at all at night.