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Medicine isn't usually tied to activity. It's tied to "this leaves your bloodstream at X/hr. You need to replace it every Y hours". It's possible that it leaves

by HWR_14 3y ago

Medicine isn't usually tied to activity. It's tied to "this leaves your bloodstream at X/hr. You need to replace it every Y hours". It's possible that it leaves your bloodstream at different rates depending on your activities, but I don't think doctors take that into account when prescribing medications. With a more erratic schedule, "take this pill at 10am on Tuesday" is a more valuable reminder than with a regular schedule where you might take it triggered by a regular event.

nyanpasu64 3y ago
Another factor is that "take X when you wake up Monday and Y when you go to bed Monday" falls apart if you stay up past midnight (then you're taking the second Monday pills on Tuesday), then if you wake up later at 10 PM Monday and go to bed Tuesday afternoon (pretty soon you're taking both of Monday's pills on Tuesday and need to skip taking a day in your pill tracker), whereas recording the last time you took a pill allows you to space them approximately 8 hours apart regardless of the date/time you last took one.
mikecsh 3y ago
Some medications are prescribed with this taken into account actually. For example if a medication has sedating effects (such as some antidepressants) it may be advised to be taken before bed so this side effect is turned into something generally beneficial (more sleep) and less prevalent during waking hours). Statins (cholesterol lowering medications) are usually prescribed at night time as this is when your cholesterol catabolism is most active. Pain relief is often varied around sleep schedules Insulin is scheduled around meals and sleep Etc etc.
- HWR_14 3y ago
  Things like insulin may be driven by life events and as needed. But I'm talking about regularly scheduled medication. Antidepressants may be advisable to take before bed as a rule, but it's an excellent example of drugs that are supposed to be taken at the same time every day. Irregularly moving around the hour you take the antidepressant makes them less likely to work. That's why irregular sleep schedules aren't a good reason to move medication.

by HWR_14 3y ago

nyanpasu64 3y ago

Another factor is that "take X when you wake up Monday and Y when you go to bed Monday" falls apart if you stay up past midnight (then you're taking the second Monday pills on Tuesday), then if you wake up later at 10 PM Monday and go to bed Tuesday afternoon (pretty soon you're taking both of Monday's pills on Tuesday and need to skip taking a day in your pill tracker), whereas recording the last time you took a pill allows you to space them approximately 8 hours apart regardless of the date/time you last took one.

mikecsh 3y ago

Some medications are prescribed with this taken into account actually. For example if a medication has sedating effects (such as some antidepressants) it may be advised to be taken before bed so this side effect is turned into something generally beneficial (more sleep) and less prevalent during waking hours). Statins (cholesterol lowering medications) are usually prescribed at night time as this is when your cholesterol catabolism is most active. Pain relief is often varied around sleep schedules Insulin is scheduled around meals and sleep Etc etc.

HWR_14 3y ago
Things like insulin may be driven by life events and as needed. But I'm talking about regularly scheduled medication. Antidepressants may be advisable to take before bed as a rule, but it's an excellent example of drugs that are supposed to be taken at the same time every day. Irregularly moving around the hour you take the antidepressant makes them less likely to work. That's why irregular sleep schedules aren't a good reason to move medication.