Can DayQuil make you sleepy?
By
Dr Natalia Marceli Stephanes (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes PhD is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drugs Administration and Toxicity; Discovery of New Drugs; Cancer Treatment; Biochemical Analyzes and Hematological Analyzes. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes’ Highlights:
- Pharmacist at the Department of Health of Santa Catarina State, Brazil
- PhD with a focus on oncology treatment
- Years of experience in commercial pharmacy
- Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina
Professional Experience:
From her undergraduate studies to her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Pharmacy, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has participated in numerous scientific studies in the field of oncology and onco-hematology at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Her research has focused on understanding the molecular and biochemical bases of malignant neoplasms and investigating safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has also served as an assistant professor of haematology for undergraduate students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. Additionally, she held the position of professor of Hospital Pharmacy at the Qualificar Technical School in Brazil, where she developed instructional materials for use in the Pharmacy Postgraduate Program at the Leonardo Da Vinci University Center.
In addition to her academic experiences, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes possesses a strong expertise in commercial pharmacy, with in-depth knowledge of medications, their routes of administration, desired effects, adverse effects, and toxicity.
Currently, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes works as a Pharmacist at the Health Department of Santa Catarina State, where her role entails providing pharmaceutical scientific consulting services to judges.
Education:
- 2016 Bachelor in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2018 Master in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2023 PhD in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
The main publications of Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes are:
Falchetti M ; Delgobo M, Zancanaro H, Almeida K, Das Neves RN, Dos Santos B, Stefanes NM, et al. Bishop Omics-based identification of an NRF2-related auranofin resistance signature in cancer: Insights into drug repurposing. Comput. Biol. Med [Internet]. 2023; 152:106347.
Feuser PM, Matos dos Santos PC, Cordeiro AP, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Maioral MF, Santos-Silva MC, et al. Antineoplastic activity of free 4-nitrochalcone and encapsulated in poly(thioether-ester) nanoparticles obtained by thiol-ene polymerization in two human leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and K562). J Drug Deliv Sci Technol [Internet]. 2022; 67:102924.
Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Perondi DM, Efe FL, Souza LFS, Sens L, et al. Synthesis of chalcones derived from 1-naphthylacetophenone and evaluation of their cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in acute leukemia cell lines. Bioorg. Chem [Internet]. 2021; 116:105315.
Duarte BF, Vieira DSC, Lisboa ML, Stefanes NM, Grando LJ, Santos-Silva MC. Características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes portadores de carcinoma de células escamosas de boca. Arquivos Catarinenses de Medicina. 2021; 50(2): 232–245.
Machado V, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Santos-Silva MC, Biavatti MW. Anti-leukemic activity of semisynthetic derivatives of Lupeol. Nat. Prod. Res. 2021; 35(22):4494-4501.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Yunes RA, et al. A novel sulfonamide derivative as a strong and selective apoptotic agent against hematological malignancies. Chem. Pap. 2020; 74:2965–2976.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Cytotoxic mechanisms of primin, a natural quinone isolated from Eugenia hiemalis, on hematological cancer cell lines. Anticancer Drugs. 2020; 31(7):709-717.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Neufeldt PD, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Santos-Silva MC. Aldehyde biphenyl chalcones induce immunogenic apoptotic-like cell death and are promising new safe compounds against a wide range of hematologic cancers. Future Med. Chem. 2020; 12(8):673–688.
Perondi DM, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Maioral MF, Sens L, Pacheco LA, Cury NM, et al. A novel thiosemicarbazone as a promising effective and selective compound for acute leukemia. Anticancer Drugs. 2019; 30(8):p 828-837.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Argenta DF, Dotto MER, Santos-Silva MC, et al. PEO-chitosan nanofibers containing carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanoparticles loaded with pyrazoline for skin cancer treatment. Eur. Polym. J. 2019; 119:335-343.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Santos-Silva MC, Nunes RJ, Parize AL, et al. A new and efficient carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanocarrier for a pyrazoline with antileukemic activity. Mater. Sci. Eng. C [Internet]. 2019; 105:110051.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Miconidine acetate, a new selective and cytotoxic compound with synergic potential, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in leukemia cells. Invest. New Drugs. 2019; 37:912–922.
Srefanes NM, Toigo J, Maioral MF, Jacques AV, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Perondi DM, Ribeiro AAB, et al. Synthesis of novel pyrazoline derivatives and the evaluation of death mechanisms involved in their antileukemic activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2019; 27(2):375-382.
Maioral MF, Bodack CN, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Yunes RA, et al. Cytotoxic effect of a novel naphthylchalcone against multiple cancer cells focusing on hematologic malignancies. Biochim. 2017; 140:48-57.
You can view some of Dr Natália’s work below and links to her professional profile below.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natalia-Stephanes
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliamarceli/
Can DayQuil make you sleepy?
DayQuil is not generally associated with sleepiness or tiredness and is known as the ‘non-sedative’ cold and flu medication. However, it may still cause tiredness or sleepiness in some people.
DayQuil generally contains three active ingredients. Let’s take a look at them and their therapeutic efficacy.
| Active drug ingredients | Therapeutic efficacy |
| Acetaminophen | A painkiller and fever reducer |
| Dextromethorphan | Antitussive agent / Cough suppressant |
| Phenylephrine | Nasal decongestant |
None of the above-mentioned ingredients are clinically known for causing sleepiness or tiredness in people (1,2,3). This medication is intended to be used during the daytime because of its non-sedative nature, and hence it is named DayQuil.
However, people respond differently to medications, and sometimes the symptoms for which you are taking the medication can make you feel tired, weak, and sleepy. Common colds and flu can make you lethargic and cause muscle soreness.
DayQuil has a nighttime version, called NyQuil – which consists of almost the same active ingredients except for Phenylephrine – which is replaced by Doxylamine. This formulation is more commonly associated with sleepiness, as compared to DayQuil.
This is because Doxylamine is a sedative antihistamine and it’s clearly mentioned on the medication that it makes you sleepy and that’s why it is intended to be taken before bedtime.
So, DayQuil shouldn’t cause sleepiness because of the drugs added to it. However, it may cause sleepiness by relieving your symptoms and you may feel relaxed because of that. This can help you fall asleep faster.
This type of sleepiness is not considered a side effect of the medication, but it’s the therapeutic efficacy of the drug that can relax you enough to induce sleep.
Common side effects of DayQuil
DayQuil may cause some side effects, including
- Dry mouth or nose
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Restlessness
- Upset stomach
- Trouble sleeping
- Blurry vision
- Increased blood pressure or heart rate (in rare cases)
If you are experiencing any unusual side effects while taking DayQuil, please reach out to your healthcare provider. Always remember to stick to the recommended doses and frequency. It is also important to check for drug expiry, especially if you purchased the medication a while ago.
Final words
Some people feel tired after taking DayQuil, although it is not a common side effect of this medication. Side effects don’t just depend on the medication, but also on the people who are taking it and their overall physiological well-being.
If you are a new user and you don’t know how DayQuil makes you feel, I recommend taking it at a time when you don’t have to engage in any activity which requires your full mental alertness, like driving. Once you’re certain how the drug affects you, you can take it at a time you find appropriate.
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References
1.-
National Library of Medicine. US National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus: Acetaminophen [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health (NIH); [updated 2021 Apr 15; cited 2023 Jan 03]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a681004.html
2.-
National Library of Medicine. US National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus: Dextromethorphan [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health (NIH); [updated 2021 Apr 15; cited 2023 Jan 03]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682492.html
3.-
National Library of Medicine. US National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus: Phenylephrine [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health (NIH); [updated 2021 Apr 15; cited 2023 Jan 03]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a606008.html
