best time to take lexapro to avoid insomnia

You should know that pharmaceuticals with scary side effects are not your only option.Īlpha-Stim ® is a better way to treat your depression. Fortunately, there is a better way to treat depression. And while the goal is to find a medication that brings about more benefit than harm, it turns out that the most commonly prescribed antidepressant may not even work. The risk of sleep disturbances is just one of the many possible side effects of antidepressant medications. Prior to taking I slept eight hours a night, no problem. I’d see terrifying figures or things in my bedroom, almost like I was hallucinating. I experienced sleep paralysis, and would wake up not able to move. I also had severe nightmares, which is not something I’ve ever suffered with before in this kind of frequency.Īnother patient reported her terrifying experience with antidepressants as well:

I would find myself awake in the middle of the night with a cosmic feeling of unsettledness combined with a sensation similar to restless legs, but across my back. But my sleep worsened noticeably in the six weeks after I started taking antidepressants. Until I started taking medication I hadn’t experienced any issues with sleep. One woman, quoted in a recent article in Refinery29, relates her story: But some patients find that these medications make their sleep even worse than before. Brand names of this type of drug include Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa, and Paxil. SSRIs are a type of antidepressant medication that increase the levels of serotonin in the brain. Many people who seek treatment for their depression are prescribed SSRIs by their physicians. It can be difficult to figure out which problem is causing the other, and which should take precedence when it comes to treatment. Poor sleep worsens depression, and depression worsens sleep quality. Neither extreme of sleep is healthy – both sleeping too much or not enough can exacerbate depression, which leads to a vicious cycle. This is to help prevent any withdrawal side effects you might get as a reaction to coming off the medicine.Antidepressants can alter your sleep, making you feel worse physically and emotionally. Your doctor will probably recommend reducing your dose gradually over several weeks, or longer if you have been taking escitalopram for a long time. If you have been feeling better for 6 months or more, your doctor may suggest coming off escitalopram. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine. If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. If you only remember during the night or the next day, leave out the missed dose and carry on as usual.ĭo not take a double dose to make up for forgotten doses. If you forget to take a dose and remember before you go to bed, take it straight away. It will also depend on whether it's a one-off problem or one that keeps coming back, how well escitalopram works for you, and whether you have had any bad side effects. The decision to stop your treatment or carry on will depend on what symptoms you have and how serious they are. Once you're feeling better it's likely that you'll keep taking escitalopram for several more months to prevent the symptoms returning. If you have trouble sleeping, it's best to take it in the morning.

You can take escitalopram at any time of day, as long as you stick to the same time every day. With liquid drops, 1 drop is equivalent to 1mg of escitalopram, 10 drops is 10mg, and 20 drops is 20mg.

If you have liver problems, the maximum recommended dose is 10mg a day. But your doctor may start you on a lower dose and increase it to a maximum dose of 20mg a day. The usual dose of escitalopram is 10mg a day. Dosage and strengthĮscitalopram tablets come in different strengths ranging from 5mg to 20mg. If you're not sure, check with your pharmacist or doctor. Take escitalopram exactly as your doctor tells you, and follow the directions on the label.

Best time to take lexapro to avoid insomnia