Comparison Of Scale Measures Between The Two Groups
At baseline, there was no significant difference in the scale scores between the groups . After the treatment, the study group had lower scores in PSQI, ESS, and HAMA compared with those at baseline . Repeated measures ANOVA showed that trazodone caused greater improvements than the placebo in PSQI, ESS, and HAMA , as shown in Table 4. The group × time interaction and the group and time main effects were as follows:
PSQI
HAMA
Table 4 Comparison of scale measures between the two groups.
Taking Trazodone For Sleep Could Come With A Cost
While primarily used as an antidepressant, many doctors are prescribing trazodone for sleep issues. Its important to talk with you doctor about the side effects trazodone can cause, and determine whether or not trazodone is an effective agent for insomnia and other sleep disorders and, more importantly, whether its safe to use in this capacity. Although its consider safe, trazodone addictions can develop in some people. If you need help with a drug of alcohol addiction talk to Landmark Recovery today. Read more to understand the risks associated with taking trazodone, including how the drug impacts your body and brain. Our infographic helps explain how trazodone works. Lets start by examining what trazodone does.
Trazodone Vs Ambien: Uses Side Effects And Comparison
- Kristina Ackermann, Director of Content
The term insomnia is a descriptive word as opposed to a formal medical term that is used to describe problems with sleep. Insomnia can be used to describe difficulty falling asleep, waking up during the night at some point and being unable to go back to sleep, and significant issues with fatigue and sleepiness after waking.
There are two primary divisions of insomnia.
- A person who has difficulty with sleep that is not caused by some other psychological or physical disorder would be categorized as having primary insomnia
- A person who has difficulty sleeping due to a medical condition or mental health disorder would be diagnosed with secondary insomnia.
The treatment for primary insomnia is simply to address the sleep issue, whereas the treatment for secondary insomnia would involve addressing the condition that is producing the insomnia and perhaps addressing the insomnia itself medically or behaviorally. Most people suffer from temporary insomnia at some point in their lives, and issues with temporary insomnia that resolve over time are usually not problematic.
Chronic insomnia is defined as insomnia that occurs at least three times a week and has been consistently occurring at least one month.
There are numerous medications designed to address issues with insomnia. Two of the more popular medications are Ambien and Desyrel or Oleptro .
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Overview Of Included Studies
A significant number of clinical trials have evaluated the hypnotic effectiveness of trazodone in the treatment of insomnia. We identified 45 previous studies that evaluated trazodones effect on sleep outcomes .1458 Studies are grouped in the table from the most recent to the least recent and are also divided based on the type of insomnia studied . The majority of these studies concluded that trazodone was effective in the treatment of insomnia. Only two studies did not support the use of trazodone for sleep.26,47 Twenty-one of the studies were performed with depressed patient populations where insomnia was either secondary to depression or induced by antidepressants.20,29,33,35,38,39,41,42,44,48,5057 Of all studies included in the current review, 23 evaluated trazodones effects in non-depressed patients with sleep disorders: five were performed in primary insomnia,1418 one for patients during pregnancy,19 one for women post-menopause,21 one with Alzheimers disease patients,22 one with cancer patients,23 one with dementia patients,25 one with methadone-maintenance patients,26 four with healthy men,28,31,43,49 three with alcoholrelated participants,30,36,37 one with somatoform pain disorder patients,32 three with psychiatric patients,24,34,40 and one with self-reported poor sleepers.57
Comparisons Of Cognitive Scores Between The Two Groups
At baseline, the differences between the groups with regard to the total MoCA scores and factor scores were not statistically significant . After treatment, the factor scores for the concentrations and recall in the trazodone group increased compared to those at baseline . Repeated measures ANOVA showed that trazodone treatment resulted in greater improvement in the concentration and recall abilities than the placebo , as shown in Table 2. The group × time interaction and the group and time main effects were as follows:
Concentration
Recall
Table 2 Comparison of cognitive scores between the two groups.
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help youyouhelpedhelp yousleeping
Trazodone For Sleep Faqs:
What class of medications is trazodone in?
Trazodone is a sedating antidepressant. Its exact mechanism of action is unknown but it is felt to work on the serotonin system. It is not as effective of an antidepressant as the newer classes of antidepressants such as SSRIs and SNRIs so it is rarely used for this indication. However, it is very good at helping people sleep.
What is the trazodone dosage for sleep?
The typical trazodone dosage for sleep is 50 m.g. before bed. Dosages above 100 m.g. per night rarely have any additional benefit for sleep.
What are the side effects of taking trazodone for sleep?
In my practice, I have not encountered side effects besides rarely hearing from patients that the medication caused intense, unpleasant dreams. Trazodone, like all antidepressants, has a “black box warning” – the highest level of warning that the FDA issues – for an increased risk of suicidality in children adolescents, and young adults with major depressive or other psychiatric disorders. The drug should be used with caution in people < 24 years of age.
Besides that psychiatric side effects, trazodone’s most common side effects include orthostatic hypotension and syncope, cardiac arrhythmias, and priapism.¹ Again, at the dosage that is used for sleep, these side effects are exceedingly rare.
When should I take trazodone for sleep?
Take the medication 30-45 minutes before your desired bedtime.
How long does trazodone last for sleep?
Does trazodone have any other names?
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Rated For Depression Report
Did nothing for my insomnia and depression. It has also been noted that during test studies that trazodone has little antidepressant qualities. It made me feel groggy a lot, especially the next day. I couldn’t get up for work or anything. I think this is also a complete joke of a medication and see no effectiveness from my experience. I wouldn’t recommend it for depression, I would try either Uplift and Bach Flower remedies instead.
Using Trazodone For Sleep
Because trazodone is a prescription medication used for insomnia at higher rates than its FDA-approved use for depression, itâs important to know the benefits of its usage. One of the benefits is trazodoneâs affordability compared to other sleep aids.
âTrazodone for sleep has the advantage of being an effective treatment for insomnia. Trazodone is helpful at low doses for primary and secondary insomnia. Additionally, it is less expensive than some newer insomnia medications due to its generic availability,â Liz Lombardo, PhD., tells WebMD Connect to Care, âTrazodone for sleep has the advantage of being an effective treatment for insomnia. Trazodone is helpful at low doses for primary and secondary insomnia. Additionally, it is less expensive than some newer insomnia medications due to its generic availability.â
At low doses, trazodone as a sleep aid is often very effective for insomnia. Speaking with your doctor about your options as well as trazodoneâs potential side effects will help you determine if itâs the right solution for you. Medline Plus notes that trazodone side effects could include:
- Headache
- Unpleasant taste in the mouth
- Diarrhea
- Numbness, burning, or tingling in the arms, legs, hands, or feet
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Rated For Sedation Report
My neurologist prescribed Trazodone for me because I have trouble sleeping and I have migraines. She said that it would help both conditions. I have been taking it for about 5 weeks and I am starting to see a decline in the number of headaches I experience. As a sedative, it works very well for me. I usually get drowsy about 1/2 hour after taking it. I still have nights that I have a little trouble sleeping but nothing like I experienced before taking the med.
What Happens If I Overdose
Overdosing is caused by taking more than the prescribed dose at the correct times. It can cause irregular, slow, or rapid heartbeat, unusual dizziness, drowsiness, vomiting, difficulty in breathing, seizures, and a prolonged and painful penile erection in men. If you experience serious symptoms such as breathing difficulties or passing out, you should call 911 immediately. For other symptoms, you should call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.
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How Do I Know What’s The Right Amount For Me
To find out what dose of Trazodone is right for you, be sure to reach out to a doctor.
The exact dose given to you will depend on several factors, including your medical history and your experience with insomnia. In order to help your doctor determine what dose is right for you, always be sure to provide them with a completely up-to-date medical history as well as a list of all other medications youre currently taking.
Once given a prescription, be sure to follow the directions provided. Never adjust your dose without first speaking with your doctor.
In addition to exploring sleep prescriptions, your doctor may recommend you add sleep hygiene practices as well as cognitive behavioral therapy exercises to increase your chances of long-term success.
Reviewed by Dr. Alex Dimitriu
Dr. Alex Dimitriu is a Stanford-trained physician with dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine. The included content is not intended to replace medical advice. Always be sure to discuss any prescription medications with your doctor.
Efficacy In Primary Insomnia
Five controlled clinical trials evaluated trazodone for the treatment of primary insomnia.1418 The original placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial was conducted by Walsh and colleagues and placed 306 subjects to receive trazodone 50mg , zolpidem 10mg , or placebo nightly for 14 days.18 Sleep measures were assessed using subjective sleep questionnaires. During the first week, trazodone decreased the time to fall asleep significantly more than placebo, and zolpidem decreased sleep latency more than either trazodone or placebo.18 During the second week, sleep latency was still shorter in patients receiving zolpidem however, the effects of trazodone on sleep latency were comparable with placebo.18
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Comparison Of Psg Parameters Between The Two Groups
At baseline, there was no significant difference in the PSG parameters between the groups . After treatment, the study group exhibited an increase in SE and N3 sleep ratio as well as a decrease in WASO, N1 sleep ratio, and ArI compared with the values at baseline . Repeated measures ANOVA showed that trazodone induced greater improvements than placebo in PSG-measured SE, WASO, N1, N3, and ArI, P< 0.05, as shown in Table 3. The group × time interaction and the group and time main effects were as follows:
WASO
Table 3 Comparisons of sleep quality between the two groups.
Should You Take Trazodone For Insomnia
Prescriptions for this little-known drug spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic. But does it workand is it safe?
The number of people suffering from insomnia has surged during the pandemic: Twenty-eight percent of Americans, in fact, said theyve had a harder time falling or staying asleep since its onset, according to a November 2020 Consumer Reports nationally representative survey .
That sleeplessness has also triggered a wave of people seeking relief. Google searches for insomnia jumped 58 percent in the months following the pandemics onset, according to a February 2021 study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. Prescriptions for insomnia drugs also increased, according to GoodRx, a prescription drug research firm.
Some of those prescription meds, such as Ambien, Belsomra, and Lunesta, are quite familiar. But prescriptions also spiked for another drug often used to help people fall asleep: trazadone, a decades-old antidepressant that can cause drowsiness as a side effect.
Trazodone, in fact, has long been among the most commonly prescribed medications to treat sleeplessness.
Heres why so many people with sleep problems turn to it, and what to do if your doctor suggests you try it.
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Does Trazodone Have Any Serious Side
Yes!
Using trazodone can cause a lot of significant health problems and dangerous side-effects. The most common side-effects include: sluggishness, mood swings, lethargy , weight gain, nervousness and anxiety, dry mouth, drowsiness, mental confusion, and/or nausea and vomiting. Keep in mind, however, that insomniacs use trazodone because it causes lethargy and drowsiness not despite it.
Unfortunately, many insomniacs do not realize that trazodone effects will follow them into the next day, making it difficult to complete tasks. They also do not realize that it is possible to have a trazodone overdose one that could lead to death.
More serious side-effects can include: shortness of breath or breathing problems, seizures, elevated or irregular heart rate, low libido or sexual dysfunction, and priapism or an extended penal erection. Abruptly stopping trazadone can also lead to horrible withdrawal symptoms. And, sometimes stopping trazodone can lead to rebound insomnia, in which your insomnia comes raging back worse than before.
Trazodone: What Is It
Trazodone is not a medication that is primarily designed to produce sleep . Trazodone was developed as an antidepressant medication. It has an entirely different mechanism of action than Ambien.
Trazodone works by increasing the availability of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the CNS. It is categorized as a serotonin antagonist reuptake inhibitor , meaning that it primarily blocks the ability of neurons to reabsorb serotonin once it has been released into the central nervous system. This leaves serotonin available in the central nervous system for longer periods of time and theoretically addresses issues with depression.
Because of the chemical composition of trazodone, it has been found to have mild sedating effects, and it is less effective than other antidepressants for the treatment of depression. Therefore, trazodone has found greater utility as a sleep aid than it has as an antidepressant medication.
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How Does Trazodone Help You Sleep
Trazodone is an FDA-approved antidepressant that changes the levels of serotonin in your body, which can improve your mood, calm your nerves, and promote drowsiness – ultimately helping you fall asleep.
It’s most often used as a sleep treatment to treat short-term insomnia that’s the result of stressful life changes.
Serotonins relationship to the sleep-wake cycle is a bit complex as it’s a hormone thats been shown to both keep you awake and help you sleep. However, research does show that serotonin is needed in order for your body to produce melatonin, a hormone that signals your body its time for rest.
Doctors often prescribe Trazodone off-label to help with insomnia as studies show it to be an effective option. Additionally, its a medication with a low risk for dependency and isnt considered a controlled substance.
Other off-label prescriptions commonly turned to for insomnia include Gabapentin and Hydroxyzine.
Common Questions About Trazodone
Serotonin and noradrenaline are chemicals in the brain that help improve your mood. When your levels of these chemicals are low, you can get depressed.
Trazodone helps increase your levels of serotonin and noradrenaline so you feel better.
In the first few days, trazodone may make you feel sleepy.
Antidepressants like trazodone help to improve your mood so you feel better.
You may notice that you sleep better and get on with people more easily because you’re less anxious.
You’ll hopefully be more relaxed about things that used to worry you.
Trazodone will not change your personality, it will simply help you feel like yourself again.
Do not expect to feel better overnight. Trazodone can take 1 to 2 weeks to start to work, and it can be 4 to 6 weeks before you feel the full benefit. Give the medicine at least 6 weeks to work.
Some people feel worse during the first few weeks of treatment before they begin to feel better.
During this time, some people occasionally have thoughts of harming themselves or ending their lives. If this happens to you, it’s very important to get help immediately call or go to A& E.
If you need more help, you can also contact the Samaritans.
Trazodone is safe to take for a long time. There do not seem to be any lasting harmful effects from taking it for many months, or even years.
Some people need to take trazodone long term to treat depression or anxiety that keeps coming back.
Trazodone is not usually the first choice of antidepressant.
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Trazodone Is Commonly Prescribed As A Prescription Sleep Aid Particularly When A Person Is Experiencing Insomnia That Has Been Caused By Life Stressors
Whats keeping you up at night?
Maybe the past few months have been particularly busy at work and your mind cant seem to escape the stress youre feeling, even in the comfort of your bed. Or perhaps youre personally going through a rough patch and youre worried about how things are going to turn out in the end.
It could even be as simple as drinking one too many cups of coffee too late in the day.
Regardless of the reason you find yourself counting hundreds of sheep instead of sleeping in the middle of the night, insomnia can be debilitating to your productivity and daytime energy.
If youre lucky, your sleep problems only last a few days and then happily resolve themselves. It could be as easy as updating bedding or changing your nighttime habits to help your brain shut down for the night.
But unfortunately, thats not always the case.
At times, no matter how many remedies youve tried, you just cant seem to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.
If this sounds like you, it may be a sign that its time to talk to a healthcare provider about insomnia and finding a sleep treatment that can help you.
Trazodone is one sleep prescription that your doctor may suggest.
