Yes, some antidepressants can help you sleep. This is because many antidepressants have sedative properties, which may improve sleep efficiency and reduce the amount of times you wake up during the night.
However, not all antidepressants help with sleep. In fact, some may have the opposite effect by worsening overall sleep quality.
A healthcare professional can help you understand which medication option is right for you.
Research has found that some antidepressants can help increase sleep quality, particularly if you have insomnia.
A 2018 review found that antidepressants such as doxepin and trazodone could help moderately improve sleep quality with short‐term use of low doses.
A 2022 review found that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) fluvoxamine could also help to improve sleep due to its sedative function. The drug was found to increase serum levels of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycle.
These drugs are often recommended to be taken at bedtime to avoid side effects, such as daytime sleepiness and fatigue.
While the majority of antidepressants work to improve mood and sleep, some may also disrupt sleep by causing you to feel more energized and unable to wind down.
This includes:
- SSRIs, such as fluoxetine (Prozac) and paroxetine (Paxil)
- serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), such as venlafaxine (Effexor) and duloxetine (Cymbalta)
- monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), such as phenelzine (Nardil)
If you take antidepressants and find that they negatively affect your sleep quality, either through not getting enough sleep or sleeping too much, consider speaking with a healthcare professional.
They can suggest a new dosage or medication option that may better suit your needs.
Learn more about the types of antidepressants available, as well as their benefits and side effects.
