Trazodone is a medication that’s used to treat depression, anxiety, and insomnia. It belongs to a class called sedative-hypnotics, which means it can cause drowsiness or sleepiness. When you have sleep apnea, one of your biggest concerns is falling asleep while you’re at risk for potentially fatal accidents (like driving while drowsy). So it makes sense that you might worry about taking Trazodone—but don’t worry! It’s safe to take Trazodone if you have sleep apnea.
How does Trazodone work?
Trazodone acts on serotonin receptors in the brain. It’s thought that these receptors may be involved in regulating our wakefulness and sleep patterns. When we take Trazodone, it binds to these serotonin receptors and blocks their activity, which leads to an increase in the amount of time we spend sleeping.
Trazodone Effects on Obstructive Sleep Apnea
People with insomnia are often prescribed Trazodone, a drug that is used to treat depression. In recent years, doctors have noted that some patients who take Trazodone also have obstructive sleep apnea, which is a condition where breathing becomes shallow or stops during sleep.
Some studies have shown that Trazodone can cause obstructive sleep apnea when taken at high doses for long periods. The most common side effect of this medication is drowsiness or sedation, but it may also cause dizziness, confusion, and impaired concentration in some patients.
If you are taking Trazodone and notice symptoms of sleep apnea such as shortness of breath at night or waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat in the morning, talk to your doctor about reducing your dose of this drug or switching to another antidepressant medication such as fluoxetine (Prozac).
Treatment
It is important to talk to your doctor about whether OSA could be causing you to experience symptoms such as fatigue, headaches or trouble concentrating during the day. If so, there are several treatment options available that can help reduce your symptoms and improve your overall health and well-being.
One treatment option that has been found to be effective in reducing symptoms of OSA is Trazodone. This medication works by relaxing muscles in the airways so that they do not collapse during sleep; this helps keep breathing passages open so that air can flow into the lungs smoothly throughout the night without interruption by periods where air stops flowing altogether (which would happen if the muscles were contracting instead of relaxing).
If you have sleep apnea, should you take Trazodone?
The short answer is yes, but with a few caveats. Trazodone is an antidepressant that’s been shown to have some anti-anxiety effects as well. It’s used to treat depression and anxiety disorders in adults, as well as insomnia. It’s also used as a sedative for people with Parkinson’s disease or other conditions that cause restlessness at night.
In rare cases, Trazodone has been linked to severe liver injury, which is why it’s important to talk to your doctor before taking this drug if you have sleep apnea. If your doctor decides that the benefits outweigh the risks for you and prescribes it, be sure to follow all instructions carefully and call them if you experience any side effects—even if they seem minor or insignificant.