Trazodone Side Effects Insomnia

- What You Should Know Before You Use It For Insomnia Treatment

One of the many reasons for insomnia is due to depression that occurs in individuals as a result of physical, mental and emotional stress. Often, the use of antidepressant drugs are used for depression and one of the most common side effects of antidepressant drugs is sedation or inducing sleep. In this regard, one can overcome the problem of sleeplessness by treating insomnia with these medicines.

One such medicine that is being increasingly used in the recent times against insomnia is Trazodone. Let us now take a closer look at Trazodone side effects insomnia.

Description of Trazodone:

Trazodone hydrochloride is the generic name of Desyrel, a drug that has been approved by the USFDA for treating symptoms related to major depressive disorders. Trazodone is primarily a psychoactive antidepressant compound with sedative and anxiolytic properties and belongs to a distinct class of compounds called triazolopyridine derivatives.

Mechanism of Action:
Trazodone is distinctly different from normal tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressant compounds. The primary pharmacological role of Trazodone inside the body is to act as an antagonistic to serotonin receptors present on the neurons, thereby partially inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin, an important neurotransmitter that transmits signals between neurons and the brain. Serotonin is also an important regulator of the body’s circadian rhythms. Inhibition of serotonin reuptake into neurons increases the concentration of the chemical messenger in the blood, thereby acting as a natural sleep pill and inducing sleep.

Trazodone and Insomnia:
Now, a drug that activates the natural sleep mechanism of the body can be considered as an effective insomnia treatment. Chemical imbalance in the brain, anxiety and depression are major causes of insomnia or sleeplessness. Trazodone alters the concentrations of other chemicals in the brain, thereby resulting in chemical balance. This helps in stabilizing the brain and relieves symptoms of depression, including insomnia.

Trazodone side effects Insomnia:
Even though Trazodone is effective in treating insomnia, it is not prescribed by doctors due to its side effects that can range from mild to severe and vary from individual to individual. Common side effects associated with Trazodone can be broadly categorized into:

Behavioral side effects: These include drowsiness, fatigue, lethargy, nausea, nervousness, vomiting, dizziness, confusion and troubled concentration.
Cardiovascular side effects: Hypertension, tachycardia, shortness of breath, arrhythmias, bradycardia, myocardial infraction, atrial fibrillation, apnea and cardiac arrest.
Neurological side effects: Some examples are seizures, headache, ataxia, migraine, impaired speech and involuntary movements.
Autonomic side effects: These include nasal congestion, constipation, diarrhea, blurred vision, excessive sweating, incontinence and increased urge to urinate.

Trazodone is a drug that should be used to only treat chronic cases of insomnia and only when it occurs as a part of major depressive disorder. In any other situation, the use of Trazodone for insomnia treatment can be extremely dangerous and life-threatening. In fact, due to this frightening and exhaustive list of side effects, even the FDA has not approved Trazodone for treating insomnia. If you are planning on taking or are taking Trazodone remember the issues of Trazodone side effects in depression and be sure you obtain from your doctor information on how to use the drug and required preventive measures.

By: Frank D. Miller

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