Depression and anxiety have become disturbing talk for the modern generation. Medicines like Trazodone help to combat the disorders of depression and insomnia caused by depression. Doctors often prescribe this drug because of its sedative effects. In the US, this antidepressant medicine is prescribed for the treatment of Insomnia. According to statistics, this drug usage statistics in the U.S. from 2013 to 2021, in 2021, the total number of prescriptions of this drug was 26,310,083. Because of its increasing usage, people want to know how long do you sleep on Trazodone.
This drug is sold under the brand names Oleptro and Desyrel. It contains increased levels of Serotonin and Noradrenaline. These are the chemicals in the brain that are related to improving your mood. When these chemicals are at low levels in the brain, it leads to depression. Whenever you face problems in sleep because of depression and anxiety, doctors prescribe this drug to you. The key concern regarding the trazodone is regarding the number of hours you sleep after consuming this drug. In this article, we will help you dig the important information quickly.
Table of Contents
What is Trazodone?
Trazodone is an anti-depressant medicine that is used to fight the disorders of insomnia. When you feel a lack of sleepiness due to depression or anxiety, you prefer to take this medicine. This medicine has a sedative impact, and therefore, it causes drowsiness. Its sedative characteristics make this medicine quite helpful for treating acute insomnia. However, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine does not favor taking trazodone for treating insomnia. According to them, this medicine has potential side effects that can lead to several problematic conditions. Therefore, doctors prescribe this medicine as off-label to treat insomnia.
Does Trazodone Effect Our Sleep?
Insomnia is a critical condition in which people often struggle to sleep. They often lay down in bed but find themselves unable to sleep. It not only disturbs their sleep but also impacts their overall well-being and health. Their physical health tends to deteriorate, and they want quick solutions for treating insomnia. Depression is one of the leading factors that results in insomnia. In case of depression, you may take a high dose of Trazodone as approved by your doctor, but whenever you take this drug for sleep, you must take a low dose only. According to the National Library of Medicine, you should take 25 gm to 100 gm of this medicine.
Trazodone is effective in sleep because of its sedative capacities. This drug dosage will help you improve your sleep quality. How long do you sleep on Trazodone is an important concern. To understand this, we should know the exact time duration for which it starts working. No doubt, the medicine helps improve the quality of sleep. Because it calms your brain and also reduces the anxiety level. People start sleeping fast and long after taking these pills. This drug’s effect peaks around 30 minutes to 2 hours before it is taken. It will keep you asleep for at least 4 to 5 hours.
Why Should you take Trazodone in Insomnia?
This drug is not officially prescribed for insomnia treatment; despite this, people prefer consuming this drug whenever they have insomnia issues interlinked with depression.
1) Helpful in Insomnia
Several studies have shown that this medicine is effective in the treatment of insomnia. Although this medicine is not prescribed directly for the problems of insomnia, it is effective in its treatment. Especially, the low doses are highly effective because it induces sleep.
2) Lower costs
Another important consideration for insomnia patients is the low cost of these medicines. Whenever their doctors prescribe them other insomnia medicines such as Xanax, Valium, etc., they found difficult to bear their cost. As against it, taking trazodone is not only an effective treatment but also, we ensure it is taken at a low cost.
3) Free from Addiction
As compared to the other medicines, trazodone is not addictive. Therefore, we should ensure taking these medications whenever we feel sleepiness. Because as compared to the other medicines like Valium, it is completely free from addiction.
4) Positive Impact on Sleep Arousal
If you are suffering from depression and anxiety, taking this medicine is a boon, as it will positively impact the sleep quality. It will naturally induce sleep by reducing your anxiety and depression. So, if you are going through an unhealthy mental state, taking trazodone is a boon for you.
Side-Effects of Trazodone
Now that you know how this drug is effective for sleep, let’s move to the downsides of this drug. Here are some key side effects of this medicine that can help us in improving our sleep.
- Sleepiness
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Dry mouth
- Headaches
- Blur Vision
- Weight changes
- Nervousness
- Rapid Heart rate
- Low Blood pressure
- Tremor
- Difficulties with walking and coordination
- Confusion
- Muscle Pain
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Palpitations
Precaution for Taking Trazodone
We should take some precautions while we consume trazodone. For example, we should understand that this medicine is not suitable for
- Pregnant ladies or breastfeeding mothers
- People who are under 25 years
- Elderly people should take this medicine only after the consultation of doctors
- People who are recovering from heart attack
If we fall in these categories, we should refrain from taking trazodone.
Conclusion
We hope now you are clear about how long do you sleep on trazodone. Also, you are very clear about the side effects of this medicine, along with the precautions. Do ask your doctor before taking the drug because it may not be suitable for people in certain cases. If you still have any doubts about sleep and the medicine, drop a comment in the comment section.
FAQ
1) Trazodone keeps us asleep for how many hours?
If you take one dose of 25 gm to 100 gm of trazodone, it helps you to fall asleep for at least 4 to 5 hours in a day.
2) In how may minutes can trazodone make you feel drowsy?
You can easily feel drowsy within 30 minutes after you take this dose.
3) Is it comfortable to take trazodone every night?
If you have short term sleeping issues, you can easily take this medicine daily at night up to one month.
