Trazodone is often prescribed for sleep problems.
However, it’s FDA-approved to treat depression and anxiety.
Trazodone does not cause dependence or addiction but it can cause side effects.
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It also interacts with many medications.
Though it’s not a sleep medicine, it has a sedative effect that causes drowsiness.
For this reason, it’s often prescribed off-label to treatinsomnia.
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Insomnia makes it difficult to fall and stay asleep.
You may also wake up too early and not get back to sleep.
Many people occasionally have insomnia.
But for some, it turns into a chronic sleep condition that doesn’t improve without treatment.
Having low serotonin also affects your sleep.
This is similar to the effect of another common antihistamine, Benadryl (diphenhydramine).
What is Off-Label Use?
Off-label use is legal and frequently used for many medications.
In fact, Trazodone has several off-label uses other than for sleep and insomnia.
Research suggests it only reduces the time it takes to fall asleep by about 10 minutes.
In addition, the amount of time spent awake at night is only reduced by eight minutes on average.
Despite the limited clinical evidence, many healthcare providers prescribe trazodone as a first-line treatment for insomnia.
Recommended Treatment for Insomnia
Sleep medications, including trazodone, are not the preferred treatment for insomnia.
CBT-I is more effective compared to medications.
Therapy also doesnt have the serious side effects of sleep medications.
Benefits
If CBT-I doesnt improve your sleep, your healthcare provider may recommend Trazodone.
How often a person temporarily stops breathing determines the severity of their sleep apnea.
Side Effects
You may or may not experience side effects with trazodone.
Some of them are common; others are rare but can be severe.
If you develop side effects, don’t stop taking the medication abruptly.
Your healthcare provider will reduce the dose gradually to prevent side effects.
There are certain instances where you may want to avoid using trazodone for insomnia.
Trazodone also has the potential to interact with many other drugs.
Your medications should be carefully reviewed by your healthcare provider prior to beginning to take trazodone.
Antidepressants may significantly increase the risk of suicidal thoughts in children, adolescents, and young adults.
Dosage
Your healthcare providers starts with a low dose and increases it if the medication doesnt help.
For insomnia, trazodone is used in doses of 50 mg or 100 mg.
However, its also available in tablets pf 150 mg and 300 mg doses.
Extended release trazodone comes in 150 mg and 300 mg doses.
How Long Before Trazodone Works?
Trazodone produces different effects depending on the dose.The low dose used for insomnia usually works within 30 minutes.
By comparison, a higher dose for depression doesn’t take hold for up to four weeks.
Can I Take Trazodone Every Night?
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Summary
Trazodone is an antidepressant that’s also used for sleep problems because it makes you drowsy.
Trazodone can also cause side effects like dry mouth, dizziness, nausea, and high blood pressure.
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