Diphenhydramine helps my insomnia?

Hi, I'm a new user.
I was diagnosed with insomnia when I was 14. I'm 26 now. I was prescribed trazodone for about 3 years. Dispite my complaints about the drug, my dosage was increased more and more. I kept telling my psychiatrist that it didn't help me sleep and only made me feel groggy in the morning.
The worst episode I remember from my insomnia was when I stayed awake for three days. It was summer vacation and I stayed home the entire time in my room trying to sleep. Of course I did a lot of hallucinating and crying those three days.

I've recently discovered that NyQuil was helping me sleep. I switched to zzzquil and 9 times out of 10 it helps me.

I was thinking this must say something about my particular type of insomnia. I know there are many kinds. Of course I'm just happy to finally find something that works after so many years. Who would have thought something that simple would have worked?? But I'm not sure how diphenhydramine works to help sleep specifically. I understand it's usually used for allergy symptoms.

I'd have to look it up, but Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is one of the older antihistamines, and it's something about how it suppresses the histamines has some effect on something or other... anyway, before the newer antihistamines came out in the past couple decades or so, it was a given that taking an antihistamine would make you drowsy.

So it's always been a cheap old-school sleep aid. Things like Tylenol PM typically have diphenhydramine or some other old-school antihistamine in them for the PM part.

If it's diphenhydramine in the zzzzquill, then you might consider skipping the overpriced sleep-aid part of the equation, and just go for the little pink pills. I use store-brand diphenhydramine as a sleep aid, I buy the store/off brand that is typically stocked right by the Benadryl, in the allergy/cold section of the store. Lot cheaper without the 'sleep aid' on the packaging, but diphenhydramine is diphenhydramine, as far as I know. To be careful, compare the ingredients and dosages to what you're taking now. Of course I'm just saying what works for me, I don't think there's any difference in what you're taking and I'm taking, except for what's on the box, and the delivery method. But do your research, don't take my word for it. But I go to like Dollar General or something, and buy a bottle of 100 caplets for like $4 or something. Two caplets equals the standard 50mg of Diphenhydramine HCI, IIIRC

It's also useful if you have a dog that's afraid of storms... helps to calm them a little, and pound for pound, canines have a much higher tolerance for the stuff than humans- I'll give my 20-23 lb terrier mix a half-caplet for bad weather. Again, verify that on your own don't take my word for it.

I think I've read some concerns about long term use of diphenhydramine. That it might have neurological effects in the long run. Including dementia. Not sure what they consider long term use. Too late for me, I'm doomed, but at your age, you might want to read up on that and decide if you want to continue using it, if you have to use it every night.