Trazodone's Effect On Rem Sleep: What You Need To Know

Trazodone is a widely prescribed medication, often used off-label as a sleep aid. It is a second-generation triazolopyridine derivative in the category of serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitors (SARI) drugs and is used as an antidepressant. Trazodone has been shown to improve sleep quality, but not duration. It has been found to reduce the time spent in REM sleep, with a rebound above baseline levels after withdrawal. It also increases slow-wave sleep and reduces the time spent in stage 1 (drowsiness). Trazodone has been found to have a positive effect on sleep architecture in insomnia patients, increasing total sleep time and reducing the latency to the onset of persistent sleep. It also decreases the number of awakenings and the time spent awake after falling asleep. However, it should be used with caution due to potential adverse effects, such as daytime drowsiness and decreased appetite.

Trazodone's impact on REM sleep

Trazodone is a widely prescribed medication that is often used off-label as a sleep aid. It is a second-generation triazolopyridine derivative in the category of serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitors (SARI) drugs and is used as an antidepressant.

Trazodone has been shown to have a positive impact on sleep quality, reducing the number of arousals interrupting sleep and increasing the duration of slow-wave sleep. However, it has been found to reduce the time spent in REM sleep, with a rebound above baseline levels after withdrawal.

A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 randomised controlled trials found that trazodone significantly increased total sleep time and decreased the latency to the onset of persistent sleep. It also reduced the time spent in non-rapid eye movement stage 1 sleep and the number of awakenings, with no obvious effect on rapid eye movement sleep.

A separate study in rTg4510 mice found that trazodone reduced theta oscillations during REM sleep and enhanced REM sleep duration.

Overall, trazodone appears to have a positive impact on sleep quality, but its effects on REM sleep are less clear and may depend on factors such as dosage and treatment duration.

Trazodone's effects on sleep quality

Trazodone is a widely used off-label sleep aid. However, it is not approved by the FDA for treating sleep disorders. Trazodone has been shown to improve sleep quality by reducing the number of nightly awakenings. It also increases total sleep time and non-rapid eye movement stage 3 sleep, while decreasing the time to fall asleep and the time spent in stage 1 sleep.

Trazodone may not be suitable for everyone, as it can cause adverse effects such as daytime drowsiness, decreased appetite, dry mouth, blurred vision, headaches, and falls. It may also cause priapism, a persistent and painful penile or clitoral erection, which can lead to impotence in men.

Trazodone has been found to improve sleep by changing sleep architecture in insomnia patients. It increases total sleep time and slow-wave sleep while decreasing the time to fall asleep, the number of awakenings, and the time spent in stage 1 sleep.

Trazodone can also have positive effects on microglial activation and associated signalling pathways, as well as sleep and memory. It reduces cortical protein levels of phosphorylated p38 MAPK, a signalling pathway recruited by microglial activation and the UPR, and endogenous total levels of p38 MAPK. It also inhibits the microglial NLRP3 inflammasome expression and normalises levels of pro-caspase-1 and cleaved caspase-1.

Trazodone can reduce total tau levels but does not appear to affect phosphorylated tau levels. It also selectively enhances faster EEG oscillations and REM sleep duration, reducing relative EEG theta activity during REM sleep and increasing EEG alpha power.

Trazodone has been found to improve olfactory memory consolidation, with a positive correlation between the increase in REM sleep duration and improvements in olfactory memory consolidation. However, it does not appear to prevent spatial memory deficits in rTg4510 mice.

Trazodone's effects on sleep architecture

Trazodone is a widely prescribed medication, often used off-label as a sleep aid. It is a second-generation triazolopyridine derivative in the category of serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitors (SARI) drugs and is used as an antidepressant. Trazodone has been shown to improve sleep quality subjectively, but not in terms of duration.

Trazodone has been found to reduce the frequency of arousals interrupting sleep and the time spent in stage 1 sleep (drowsiness). It increases slow-wave sleep duration and reduces REM sleep time, with a rebound above baseline levels after withdrawal. Trazodone does not change the total sleep duration or the time taken to fall asleep.

In a study on male rTg4510 mice, trazodone reduced microglial activation and NLRP3 inflammasome expression in the cortex. It also reduced cortical protein levels of phosphorylated p38 MAPK, ATF4, and total tau. Trazodone also enhanced REM sleep duration and reduced theta oscillations during REM sleep.

Trazodone is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for sleep disorders, and its use as a treatment for sleep onset or maintenance in adults is not recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline due to limited evidence.

Trazodone's effects on sleep duration

Trazodone is a widely prescribed medication that is often used off-label as a sleep aid. It is a second-generation triazolopyridine derivative in the category of serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitors (SARI) drugs and is used as an antidepressant. While trazodone is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for sleep disorders, it has been reported to improve sleep quality and duration.

Several studies have investigated the effects of trazodone on sleep duration and architecture. One study found that trazodone did not change total sleep duration but reduced the time spent in REM sleep. Another study reported that trazodone significantly increased total sleep time and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep while decreasing the latency to onset of persistent sleep and the number of awakenings. Additionally, trazodone has been found to reduce slow-wave sleep and increase the duration of slow-wave sleep, which is associated with a deeper level of sleep.

The effects of trazodone on sleep may vary depending on factors such as age, dosage, and duration of treatment. For example, higher doses of trazodone may be more effective in reducing sleep latency and increasing total sleep time. The length of treatment may also play a role, as shorter treatment durations have been associated with a greater reduction in NREM sleep.

It is important to note that trazodone may cause side effects such as daytime drowsiness and decreased appetite. Therefore, it should be used with caution and under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

Trazodone's effects on sleep disorders

Trazodone is a prescription drug used to treat depression and anxiety. It is sometimes prescribed off-label as a sleep aid, due to its sedative effects. It is considered an older-generation antidepressant and was FDA-approved for treating anxiety and depression in 1981.

Trazodone is not a sleep medicine, but it has hypnotic effects, meaning that it causes drowsiness. It is often prescribed off-label to treat insomnia or acute insomnia. Insomnia is long-term or chronic, occurring at least three nights a week and lasting three months or more. Acute insomnia is short-term and may last for days or weeks.

Trazodone acts on neurotransmitters, which are chemical messengers within the brain. It allows a specific neurotransmitter called serotonin to build up in the spaces between nerve cells by blocking it from entering nearby cells. This increases serotonin in your brain, helping to improve your mood. Trazodone also seems to act on histamines, another neurotransmitter. Histamines are released by your immune system to help your body fight foreign substances. In the brain, they also help keep you alert and awake. Trazodone can make you sleepy by blocking these histamines.

Trazodone is fast-acting and short-lasting, and poses a relatively low risk of addiction compared to other sedatives. However, some healthcare providers and experts advise against its use. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine does not currently recommend the use of trazodone to treat insomnia. This suggests that the potential risks and harms outweigh the benefits.

Trazodone is most often prescribed at doses between 25 and 100 milligrams (mg) as a sleep aid. Lower dosages may also cause less daytime sleepiness and fewer side effects because the drug is short-acting.

Trazodone has been shown to improve slow-wave or deep sleep. It typically takes about 30 minutes to make you drowsy. People who take trazodone for sleep often say it helps them fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.

There are certain instances where you may want to avoid using trazodone for insomnia. You should not use trazodone if you are:

• Pregnant or breastfeeding
• Recovering from a heart attack
• Trazodone may also not be appropriate for people who have psychiatric illnesses, including bipolar disease and schizophrenia. Check with your doctor if you have heart disease, cerebrovascular disease (affecting blood flow in the brain), seizures, or kidney or liver problems.

Trazodone has the potential to interact with many other drugs. Your medications should be carefully reviewed by your healthcare provider before you start to take trazodone.

Trazodone may cause some side effects, especially when first starting the medication. These may include:

• Skin reactions, such as a rash
• Difficulties with walking or coordination
• Weight changes, which affects up to 5% of people
• Priapism (persistent painful erection)
• Orthostatic hypotension (low blood pressure when standing)
• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Extrapyramidal symptoms (movement and coordination problems)
• Tardive dyskinesia (uncontrollable facial movements)
• Hypomania (elevated mood and increased energy) or mania (elevated mood, intense energy, and possible delusions)
• Worsening psychosis (losing touch with reality, experiencing delusions and hallucinations)
• Worsening depression
• Neutropenia (low white blood cell count)
• Hepatitis (liver inflammation)
• Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH, a condition where the body retains too much water)

Trazodone may cause morning drowsiness, especially when you first start taking it or if you take it too late at night. Depending on the individual, the sleep-promoting effects of trazodone can last between five to nine hours. You should not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how trazodone affects you.

Frequently asked questions