Benadryl doesn't work for me unfortunately. I'm with you on the side effects, though. My experience with Ambien had me hallucinating linear patterns, four days of sleeplessness and a trip to the ER for a hideous migraine. Never again.
Mercy loves hers. She'll choose to eat her kibble out of that before a bowl. I have caught her just knocking the food through and Mook sitting there eating the fallout. I have a lifelong sleep disorder. The one thing that works consistently is Benadryl. And it has far fewer side effects than the sleep aids the doctors have prescribed. Ambien gave me a bout of amnesia years ago. It took days for me to function again.