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Best time to take medication - alertness side effect

bluehorseshoes
Community Member

Hi team,

I've been taking an antidepressant for 7 months now and it has helped my anxiety a lot. I wanted to ask for advice here in terms of the best time of day to take ADs (antidepressant) - in order to avoid the side effects of lack of alertness/fatigue/trouble concentrating. I was first told to take mine in the morning, but have just this weekend started to take at night with meal to see if this reduces the fatigue that comes and goes during the day that started with the meds.

What tips have you got for managing fatigue AD side effects - apart from napping :)?

What time of day do you take it?

If you've changed the timing of medication, what changes have you noted? Changes in your condition/changes in side effects?

I would really appreciate comments from people with experience with ADs and fatigue/alertness side effects.

In much appreciation, Bluey.

4 Replies 4

White_Rose
Champion Alumni
Champion Alumni

Hello bluehorseshoes

The timing of any medication is often dictated by the way the meds work. Some are taken at night because they work best then and others during the day for the same reason. When you need to take the same meds several times a day that also dictates when you take it as probably it needs to be taken at regular intervals. OK, that said antidepressants (AD) may be different. When my AD was changed I found it made me sleepy and asked if I could take it at night. I remember the doctor being quite surprised and saying of course I could take it at night and being a bit sleepy was a known effect of this AD.

I think that if there is no reason to take an AD in the morning and have these sleepy times, why not take it at night. It worked well for me and in fact helps me get to sleep more easily. Just ask your doctor if it's OK to take at night or during the evening.

There may be a reason why it should be taken during the day and in this case perhaps you can take something different. Not only is it difficult managing during the day when all you want to do is have a nap but I also wonder at the safety aspect when driving for instance. Falling asleep at the wheel is not a good look. Napping during the day often means you do not sleep as well at night and sets up a bad routine.

My suggestion is to ask. There's probably no reason not to take the AD at night. Hope that helps.

Mary

Hey Mary,

Thank you for sharing your experience. It's interesting to know that in your case, taking your AD at night worked well. My doctor is onboard for trying it at night, and I've graduated from taking in morning, to lunch time for a week, and now at night.

When first taking the ADs at the beginning of therapy last year, I had the initial 2 weeks of being VERY tired all day, yawning every 5mins etc. which I knew to expect. And since then more 'normal' but still issues staying alert/concentrating for long periods.

Taking it at lunch, I've noticed some very vivid dreams at night, when I don't normally remember my dreams at all. I know some people here have reported similar dreams/nightmares when first taking ADs. But then it went away after a few days and I've researched about the effect of SSRIs on the REM stage of sleep so the increased dreaming made sense...

Taking at night, so far only a few days - not much dreaming, no problems falling/staying asleep, but feels less deep. I will see how I continue to adjust to this new timing. In terms of how it has effected anxiety, taking ADs at afternoon/night I haven't felt worse and so far alertness seems better. I'll keep my GP informed.

Thank you Mary for this and also your input back in November when things were much darker for me - I haven't forgotten - Blue

Hello Blue

I'm very glad I could help and thank you for the compliment. It's nice to know I can help.

I am interested in how you go taking the AD at night. It really helped me but I was taking an AD from the TCA group as SSRI had dreadful effects on me. I put the start of my healing when I started on that AD. Horses for courses.

It's a good idea to keep notes on how you feel especially once everything settles down. There is always the possibility of changing your AD to something allows you to sleep more deeply. It's probably why you remembered your dreams.

Why do you think you are sleeping less deeply? If you are not wanting to nap during the day and feel more alert sounds like you are getting as much sleep as you need. I know some drugs keep you drowsy because that's what they do even though you have no need of more sleep. I think this is what scares me a little, being unable to have normal cycles of sleep and the effect on my day.

I look forward to hearing about your progress.

Mary

Hello Mary,

I’m sorry to hear about your experience with SSRIs. They have been right for me at the moment and the minor side effects have been worth the improvement in my emotional stability, impulsivity and anger. I still get these feelings but I’m much less reactive to them, and more able to observe rather than just respond immediately and being effected by them for a long time after trigger if that makes sense.

I’m trying to work on the other factors that may be effecting alertness during daytime – taking my vitamins in the morning as per doctor because apparently my body can associate it with wakefulness (as opposed to taking it later), going to bed earlier, and yes forcing myself not to nap in day.

So far so good.