I'm not a student anymore, but a pharmacist and I'd not call taking one Benadryl abusing it. Diphenhydramine is used often in the elderly if they are at risk for using one of the sedative hypnotics, so this is common. I'll give you a few pointers on using antihistamines (doxyalamine, diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine) for sleep. The sleep induced is good, however, the next day...you might be mentally slow (sluggish, tired, lethargic) so I never recommend trying it for the first time before a really important exam. Be sure you are familiar with how it works as you seem to be doing. Also, it may give you a dry mouth and if used routinely, will induce constipation. As with all sleep medications, they are best used intermittently so your brain can recover its sleep rhythm since all of them disrupt the REM nonREM sleep patterns. The sedative properties of antihistamines will wear off over time, so don't depend on having them help you fall asleep indefinitely, if used consistently. Hope this helps & good luck! On a funny note - I get this question most often from lawyers (lots of them) studying to pass the bar exam - wonder where they hear of this?
