I've used hydroxyzine, DPH, and doxylamine for sleep, and I react very poorly to them.

All of them induce a temporary sedation that lasts maybe an hour or two. DPH is the strongest on this front. This is usually enough to knock me out, but it's not a pleasant sedation, per se. It's different than a benzo sedation, it's a little weird and dysphoric feeling. If I'm ready and prepped for sleep when this sedation comes on, I'll fall asleep.

The problems with this are two fold, however. First off, the next day after using one of these medications, I'm always loopy, irritable and edgy. Second of all, if I don't succeed in falling asleep when the initial wave of sedation comes on, I'll become extremely irritable and panic stricken 

A few nights ago I tried using the hydroxy, and the sedation was minimal, or at least just didn't hit the right way to get me asleep. I spent the rest of the night just white knuckling it, pacing around and stressed at my lack of sleep. A few nights later, I skipped the meds, and just drank chamomile tea. I struggled a bit to sleep on this night as well, but it was nowhere near as agitated and anxiety ridden of an experience.

I also take Zyrtec every day, and while I don't overtly notice any dysphoric effect from it, I wonder if I have any subtle anxiety from it that has just become the norm.