This is a common question, "if, after taking a sleep aid fora long period of time, is it ok to quit cold turkey?" Some people never experience any side effects from quitting their sleeping aids cold turkey. The presence of side effects, and the severity of side effects, are often dependent on the type of sleeping medications or aids a patient is taking. Over the counter medications marketed for sleep, such as diphenhydramine and doxylamine, are unlikely to cause physical withdrawal symptoms; however, if taken for an extended period of time, a patient may develop a mental dependence upon these medications. Meaning, if a long-term user of an over the counter medication suddenly stops taking them, they may find it difficult to sleep, since they have developed a belief that these medications made it possible to sleep. It's also important for these for patients to know that these over the counter medications are only for short term use. Tolerance to the sedative effects or sleepiness that antihistamines do cause can develop quickly. So, the longer you take them, the less likely they are to make you sleepy. Certain prescription medications may also cause side effects. For example, if someone just stops, stops taking certain prescription sleep aids, after long term use, they can have rebound insomnia. Rebound insomnia is a decrease in the sleep quality compared to sleep that was experienced prior to even starting treatment. Some people may also suffer from withdrawal symptoms, if they quit their sleeping medications cold turkey, and these symptoms can be nervousness or anxiety. If someone does want to quit their sleeping medications, it's best to talk with your physician and develop a treatment plan.