You can, but it is likely to keep you up: pseudoephedrine is stimulating, and MedlinePlus advises taking the last dose of the day several hours before bedtime; restlessness and difficulty sleeping are listed side effects.
The NHS adds: limit caffeine on it - coffee and cola stack onto the wired feeling. Strategy: pseudoephedrine by day (regular tablets last 4 to 6 hours; a morning 12-hour dose covers to evening), and sedating tools by night - an older antihistamine, head-of-bed elevation, a humidifier. Never stack it with another decongestant or a phenylephrine product. Congestion wrecking several nights deserves a review, not escalating doses. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, and can help you plan cold nights.
What to do
Common questions
Can you take Sudafed at night?
You can, but your sleep will probably pay for it. Pseudoephedrine is chemically a stimulant relative - that is why it is sold from behind the pharmacy counter - and MedlinePlus's direct advice is to take the last dose of the day several hours before bedtime to prevent trouble sleeping. Its listed side effects include restlessness and difficulty sleeping, and the NHS adds a practical tip: limit caffeine while taking it, since coffee, tea, cola, and energy drinks stack onto the same wired feeling. The timing strategy for a congested cold: take pseudoephedrine during the day when being alert is useful, and let the last dose land at least 4 to 6 hours before bed (the regular tablet lasts 4 to 6 hours; the 12-hour extended-release taken in the morning covers you until evening). For nighttime congestion specifically, the better tools are the sedating kind: an older antihistamine like chlorphenamine, or simply propping the head of the bed up and running a humidifier. One combination to avoid chasing sleep with: never take pseudoephedrine together with another decongestant, and do not add phenylephrine products on top - same class. If congestion is wrecking multiple nights, that pattern deserves a review rather than escalating doses. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, that can help you plan cold nights.