Nyquil is a well-known medication which treats the common cold. It is usually used to relieve coughing, the flu and similar illnesses. Although Nyquil is a common over-the-counter medication that you might have taken once or twice in your life, many people still have questions about its use. If you were wondering how long does Nyquil last or if you can use Nyquil as a primary sleep aid, we have all the answers for you below. Let’s begin!

What is Nyquil?

Nyquil is a common cold and flu relief medication that is sold as a liquid or a pill. The 2 main ingredients in Nyquil are alcohol and Hypnotics & Sedating Antihistamines. It temporarily relieves the coughing, headaches, stuffy and runny nose, sore throat, fever, and sneezing.

Additionally, Nyquil also helps people with cold symptoms to sleep through the night. Because of its components that may maintain a pain-free state of sleep, the doctors always recommend taking Nyquil before bedtime.

How Long Does Nyquil Last?

Nyquil contains doxylamine which causes drowsiness. The effect normally lasts for 4 to 6 hours / 7 to 8 hours. On a side note, the effective time is not always the same, the latter can vary from one individual to another. The ingredients as far as they are concerned can take up to 2 and a half days to completely disappear from your body.

NyQuil is not dangerous if it is used properly but you may experience some minor side-effects like blurred vision, dizziness, drowsiness or lightheadedness. For some people, Nyquil ingredients can still affect their driving capabilities or their consciousness even 8 hours after the ingestion. That said, it is important to estimate how long Nyquil stays in your system and when you are planning to take the medication.

How Long Does It Take For Nyquil Cold and Flu To Take Effect?

Nyquil normally takes only 10 minutes to take effect. If you take the liquid Nyquil, you will suddenly feel a warm sensation in your throat. Afterwards, you will start feeling better and your aches should progressively diminish. Once you go to bed, Nyquil will help you to sleep tight until the morning.

Please take note that, when you wake up, your eyes may feel a bit heavy and you might have a problem of blur vision for a while. If caffeine or a shower cannot help you, don’t worry. It just means that you should plan to take a rest 1 more day after taking Nyquil. Indeed, since some people are more sensitive to others to this type of medicamentation, that’s why it is important to inform yourself in advance before taking Nyquil. In general, a normal cold should be cured within 2-3 days after ingesting the first medicament dose..

Different Versions Of Nyquil And Their Differences

1.Nyquil Flu/Cold Multi-Symptom Relief

The Nyquil Flu/Cold Multi-Symptom Relief is a liquid medicine. It usually comes as LiquiCap and syrup form. One-half adult dose contains:

• 15 ml / 325 mg Acetaminophen (medication used to treat pain and fever)
• 15 ml / 15 mg Dextromethorphan (cough medicine)
• 15 ml / 6.25 mg Doxylamine succinate (antihistamine, allergy reliever)

One-half adult dose of LiquiCap capsule Nyquil version contains the following active ingredients:

• 325 mg per pill Acetaminophen (medication used to treat pain and fever)
• 15 mg per pill Dextromethorphan (cough medicine)
• 6.25 mg per pill Doxylamine succinate (antihistamine, allergy reliever)

2. Nyquil D

NyQuil D has been reformulated. One-half adult dose is composed of :

• 15 ml / 500 mg Acetaminophen (medication used to treat pain and fever)
• 15 ml / 15 mg Dextromethorphan (cough medicine)
• 15 ml / 6.25 mg Doxylamine succinate (antihistamine, allergy reliever)
• 15 ml / 30 mg Pseudoephedrine (nasal decongestant)

Nyquil D is different from Nyquil Flu/Cold Multi-Symptom Relief because it has Pseudoephedrine which helps relieve nasal congestion as well. You can easily find Nyquil D in many retail stores and pharmacies.

3. Nyquil Cough

The difference of Nyquil Cough is that it has no fever reducer or pain reliever. One-half adult dose contains only 15 mg of Dextromethorphan (cough medicine) and 6.25 mg of Doxylamine succinate (antihistamine, allergy reliever).

Are There any Side Effects for Using NyQuil to Sleep?

Even if Nyquil can help you get through the night with a better sleep, you should be careful to not misuse it as a sleeping aid pill. According to various reports, people who continuously rely on Nyquil for a long time have the possibility to experience anxiety and disrupted sleep patterns, especially if they suddenly stop taking the medicine. This can lead to a Nyquil addiction or reliance, which is as bad as any other drug addiction out there.

Nyquil is designed to treat short-term illnesses, not to cure any long-term issues. Most importantly, Nyquil is NOT a solution for insomnia. With extended use, people tend to take more pills at once since the body becomes progressively tolerant to the medication. The same amount of drug doesn’t produce the same effect anymore if you take too many doses. In such case, you should seek assistance from a doctor as soon as possible in order to have a proper treatment.