Does citalopram improve sleep longer term?

It's probably 'the' most difficult thing I've had to face being honest. I know to some people it may trivial but it's having a real negative impact on my life in lots of ways. I feel like I need a live-in psychiatrist some days.

The worst thing about it is that some nights I'll wake up with nothing hugely worrying on my mind. I'll pop to the bathroom very sleepy then bam! - the thought of not going back to sleep hits me, then my stomach starts churning. Then I'm so awake I cannot get back to sleep.

I then get up (like this morning) and sit downstairs pondering what the hell to do and who to talk to and some crazy hour. It's so depressing.

I've been on 10mg citalopram for over 3 weeks but need to up it to 20mg I think. May be even higher. I've been taking some 15mg Mirtazapine before bed too and they help unless I'm really stressing in the night.

I thought I'd got over this a few months ago. I seemed to have a 4-5 month better stretch when I was on fluoxetine and amitriptyline then I changed meds.

I'm not changing again though, I'm pretty confident citalopram is the best for anxiety longer-term and Holly your story gives me some confidence.

I pretty much know why it's happening. Since childhood I seem to move from one 'issue' to the next that gives me great difficulty - ordinary situations that I dwell upon 24/7 l- ike presenting to groups (something which when I'm over the initial few minutes I enjoy doing) but for years they would keep me awake at night. Now it's a fear of a lack of sleep. I have to say for a 38 year old man I feel quite pathetic but it's something that was ingrained in me and still is but I'm trying to break it down.

I have some underlying depression and anxiety, but these are so much milder when I sleep, it's like I morph back into my old self again and am 100 mph at work, exercising and doing normal things.

I somehow need to convince my sub-conscious that I don't need to keep feeding these problems that I've dealt with all my life. It's almost as if I have to find another problem to replace the old one and it's ruining my life. Can anyone identify with that? Does citalopram help with negative thoughts like this? God I hope so.

In the last 12 months I've been to an anxiety workshop,  mindfulness group and am currently using a daily meditation app called Headspace. All of these have helped but when I wake up in the night (like last night) I can't seem to stop the juggernaught - the terrible habit.

12 months ago I would sleep quite well 80% of the time and had nothing like this around my neck.

Anyway my plan over the next few weeks is to:

- Stick with 20mg citalopram

- Meditate daily for 20 mins

- Try and relax as much as possible

​Any other suggestions welcome!

I'm on day 15 and this past week have been going to bed around 9pm and waking up, wide awake, at 2am! Cannot go back to sleep at all! I'm hoping if I stick with it this will fade. But from what I've read on numerous groups like this, it could remain. For me, it's worth it because I can already see a huge difference in my mood and anxiety levels are WAY down. I don't feel too tired throughout the day, despite only getting 5 hrs of sleep per night. I was on Fluoxetine (Prozac) for years before this & never had any trouble staying asleep. But I feel like this is a side effect that I can live with because I'm feeling so much better otherwise. Hope it all works out for you! Hang in there!

Hi guys I start the mediation about 2 weeks ago now starting off on 10mg and then a week later upping the dose to 20mg. At first I felt amazing and started to feel a lot better but today has just hit me hard I feel like I'm back at the start and feeling worse and I really don't know what to do. I really need some advice as I can't see. My doctor untill she's back off holiday. Any help would be. Much appreciated

Hi David. You're probably not on here at the moment given that this post was 2 years ago. However I really relate to what you've said.

I too stared citalipram about a week ago. I was spiralling down into anxiety and depression, and my hellish thoughts just keep it all alive and well. I try my hardest to accept that there is no danger and that it's just anxiety but the thoughts just seem so threatening.

This last week I've had one fully no sleep night, and three where I've slept for half an hour. It's honestly hell. It makes me more susceptible and it's an accuse mysery. There doesn't seem to be a safe place to recover.

I have had this a few times before but this has been the worst bout, and I genuinely feel like I'm having a nervous breakdown- sometimes just sitting and sweating terrified.

However I can't believe that all hope is lost. There has to be a future for us sufferers. Our thoughts seem to be sublimely personal and hopeless.

So- you're far from alone. I'm jealous of sine of some of the guys here who have been able to switch off with music and meditation. I can when it's not terrible, but at its word it's impossible to derive pleasure from anything that you do.

I'd love to know how you got on in the end.

I was put on citalopram for sleep issues and insomnia last year. In that last year I didn’t have any issues with sleep! It was wonderful, or if I couldn’t get off I wouldn’t even worry about it , where as before it would send me into a panic attack.

It takes a while to get into your system but it certainly helped me with Sleep that after quitting it I’ve gone back on it

how are you getting on now?

i was prescribed these for sleeping issues and I'm 6 weeks in and its made my sleep bad. I'm in and out of sleep alot,

if does improve by week 8 I'm thinking of dropping them