Sertaline - unable to sleep

It should pass. I've been on it for quite a while and I can fall asleep, just not stay asleep. 

Hi Alan

I am in the opposite situation having come down from 150mg Sertraline starting last Sept to coming off the drug two weeks ago. I think the changing dose impacts sleep. One of the side effects of this drug is insomnia. My experience is that 50mg is the therapeutic dose taken in the morning. I am experiencing some sleep disturbance now I am off the drug. My sleep was a problem before going on the drug too. But sleep is related to anxiety and depression and gets better once these conditions improve. 

Hi Noddy,

I only had occasional sleep issues before sertraline - always was connected to a stressful day or anticipation of stress.  It would never be more than a night or 2 every month or so.

Now ever since starting sertraline I fall asleep fine but have difficulty staying asleep.  Sertraline disturbs REM that is why the sleep feels light and we remember our dreams.  Some patients thingk they dream more but it’s not that, it’s the fact that the sleep is lighter so the recall of dreams is more vivid.

I take Amitriptyline 10mg to aid sleep.

I’ve notice that since lowering from 100 to 75 sleep is better but I still have that heavy fatigue in the morning. Also the dry mouth is awful.

I plan to lower again to 50mg.  My anxiety is better now too.

All the best to you!!! Xx

If it's not too personal a question, what are you doing in bed immediately before you try to sleep?!

My doctor prescribed 25mg Phenergan tablets (available over counter in UK) which is basically an anti-histamine to relax the brain.  Then no screens for 1 hour before bed, just a book.  Have a cup of warm milk or weak hot chocolate in bed just before you sleep.  Try to go to bed at the same time each evening and get up at the same time each morning no matter how you've slept.  If you need a nap during the day, 1 hour early afternoon.

I had trouble with "earworms" too, this seems to have lessoned now I follow the routine outlined above.

Hi Noddy,

I’ve had terrible insomnia, so my doctor prescribe 5mg Diaspam to go with 50mc Sertraline, I still wake up in the night and so worried when I run out of the Diaspam. I find this medication makes you very Anxious with out  Diaspam I wouldn’t be able to take them. 

Sorry I can’t be more helpful.😩

I've been on 50mg for two weeks. For the first week I had terrible insomnia when before I started taking I could sleep like a baby and dreamt every night. Now into second week I can fall asleep but wake up at around 4am every morning with a very nervous tummy. The sort you get when you wake from a nightmare except I'm not even dreaming. I was expecting to have very vivid dreams but haven't had any since taking.

The affects of antidepressents can be horrid in the beginning, some times I don’t Know what’s worse depression and Anxiety or the affects of the medication when you first start taking it.

I just hope my doctor will prescribe me more Diazapam just till I get through the first few weeks on Sertraline.

Because I find it very hard to sleep and that’s what’s frightening me taking antidepressants in the first place.