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- How often do I take a medicine that says 3 times a day? Does 3 times a day mean every 8 hours?
- How many hours apart is 3 times a day?
- How often do I take a medicine that says 4 times a day? Does 4 times a day mean every 6 hours?
- How many hours apart is 4 times a day?
If your prescription says three times a day or four times a day – how many hours apart is that? What does 3x or 4x a day really mean?
You may be surprised to learn that 3 times a day and 4 times a day are not standardized terms nor do they correspond to specific time intervals in hours. They are more an English translation from the Latin TID (stands for ter in die which translates to three times a day) or QID (stands for quater in die which translates to four times a day) that doctors will write on a prescription so a pharmacist can write instructions on the label about how many times to take it. See our article Medical Abbreviations on Pharmacy Prescriptions for more information on medical abbreviations.
If you are told to take a medicine 3 times a day, then that usually means to take it at close to even intervals while you are awake. It does not mean you have to get up in the middle of the night to take your medicine unless your doctor or pharmacist has specifically told you to do so.
For example, if you have been told to take your medicine 3 times a day and you usually wake up at 7am and go to bed at 10pm then the best time to take a medicine 3 times a day would be:
•7 am (when you wake up)
•2 pm (early afternoon)
•9 pm (just before you go to bed).
If you have been told to take your medicine 3 times a day WITH FOOD, the best time to take a medicine 3 times a day with food would be:
A medicine written 3 times daily should roughly be taken every 7 hours apart while you are awake assuming you wake up at 7am and go to bed at 10pm. If you wake up or go to bed at different times then you will need to adjust the time interval between doses but the instruction “3 times a day” has enough leeway in its dosing regimen that taking the medication an hour or two earlier or later will not affect the medication’s effectiveness.
If a doctor has intended you to take the medicine at strict intervals then they will usually say “every 8 hours” sometimes with exact instructions, such as 7 am / 3 pm / 11 pm.
Taking a medicine 4 times a day is not so easy for a person at home to do, and fortunately, there aren’t many drugs that need precise dosing 4 times a day.
If you are told to take a medicine 4 times a day, then that usually means to take it at close to even intervals while you are awake. It does not mean you have to get up in the middle of the night to take your medicine, unless your doctor or pharmacist has specifically said to.
For example, if you have been told to take your medicine 4 times a day and you usually wake up at 7am and go to bed at 10pm then an appropriate way to take the medicine would be:
•7 am (when you wake up)
•12 noon (midday)
•4 pm (late afternoon)
A medicine written 4 times daily should roughly be taken 4 or 5 hours apart while you are awake assuming you wake up at 7 am and go to bed at 10 pm, for example:
•7 am (when you wake up)
•12 noon (midday)
•4 pm (late afternoon)
•9 pm (just before you go to bed).
If you wake up or go to bed at different times then you will need to adjust the time interval between doses but the instruction “4 times a day” has enough leeway in its dosing regimen that taking the medication an hour or two earlier or later will not affect the medication’s effectiveness.
Only take a sleeping pill when you know you can get a full night's sleep of at least 7 to 8 hours. A few short-acting sleeping pills are intended for middle of the night awakenings, so you may take them when you can stay in bed for at least four hours.
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Nov 8, 2023 · Most sleep aids are designed to be effective during four or eight hours. Taking a pill when you need to wake up before this time may cause next-day grogginess. For people who have trouble falling asleep but sleep soundly once they are asleep, it may be more appropriate to use a shorter-acting sleep aid.
Aug 15, 2024 · You should take your sleep medication shortly before you go to bed. But be sure that you have a sufficient amount of time to sleep to avoid a “hangover effect” the next morning. Basically, you want to be sure you give ample time for the medication to wear off throughout the night to avoid waking up feeling groggy.
Mar 16, 2024 · It can be safe to take sleeping pills to help you fall asleep—but not every night. Learn more about the medications, how they work, and their safety.
Apr 29, 2024 · If your antidepressant makes you sleepy, take it before bed. Steroid for your arthritis keeping you up at night? Take it in the morning. If a certain medicine causes nausea, you may feel better if you take it after eating. You can add each medicine to your chart until it’s complete.
