Depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions are major causes of insomnia. Unfortunately, some of the treatments for these conditions can also make it more difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Certain types of antidepressants, including Zoloft, lead to insomnia in nearly one out of five 

. Our expert sleep therapists have no wait and can talk as soon as today. We take insurance in several states and have affordable self-pay options! You can learn about by clicking to our home page.

Zoloft is an antidepressant that belongs to a category of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Zoloft, which also goes by the generic name sertraline, can help treat depression as well as other mental health conditions.

Zoloft may cause insomnia, making it harder to fall asleep or stay 

. For some people, the insomnia caused by Zoloft is temporary. For others, it may be ongoing — lingering for several months or more — requiring further 

Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder and, according to the Cleveland Clinic, 

it affects around 70% of Americans every year

. Insomnia can be transient (lasts a few days or weeks) or acute (lasts more than three months). 

, and for many, it is a struggle that can last for years. Contrary to popular belief, having insomnia doesn’t just mean you don’t get enough sleep. You 

, but if you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, or feeling rested during the day, these sleep challenges also fall under the 

, some better known, such as stress, anxiety, or an uncomfortable sleeping environment, and others, lesser known. For example, insomnia can also appear as a side effect of antidepressants, which frequently interfere with sleep physiology.

Unlike some other treatments for mental health conditions, Zoloft is not a sedative and doesn’t often make you sleepier, although it can occasionally cause fatigue as a side 

SSRIs work by increasing serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) that affects mood and sleep-wake regulation. Zoloft can also change the levels of other 

. These changes in brain chemistry may be why antidepressants cause insomnia.

Increase the amount of time it takes to fall asleep

Make you more likely to wake up in the middle of the night

Lead to less rapid eye movement (REM) sleep — the sleep stage in which most of your dreaming occurs

In many cases, Zoloft and other drugs that affect serotonin may successfully improve the symptoms of depression or other mental health conditions but exacerbate insomnia. It’s essential to discuss side effects with your doctor when determining the best course of action for treatment.

When you first begin treatment, your doctor will likely recommend taking a low dose of Zoloft. The common starting dose for depression is 50 mg once per day. The standard Zoloft dose for anxiety disorders is 25 mg per 

Your doctor will assess how well the drug is working and whether you experience any side effects. They may recommend increasing the dose and then reassessing. You may go through this process a couple of times until you find a dosage that works for 

Zoloft should be taken at the same time each day, in the morning or 

. The best time to take Zoloft for sleep depends on how the drug affects you. If this medication increases insomnia, taking it in the morning may help. If Zoloft makes you drowsy, your doctor may recommend taking it in the evening.

If you miss a dose of Zoloft, you should generally take it as soon as possible once you remember. However, you should avoid taking a double dose. If you remember a missed dose right before it’s time for your next dose, just skip the missed dose and take one dose of Zoloft as 

The drug’s label says that you should avoid mixing Zoloft and 

. These two substances can interact, exacerbating Zoloft’s negative side effects and reducing its positive effects.

You should also avoid skipping Zoloft to drink alcohol. If you don’t take this medication consistently, your depression or anxiety can worsen.

Besides insomnia, Zoloft can also lead to several other side effects, 

This medication may also cause specific problems for males or females. In men, Zoloft can lead to problems getting an erection or difficulty achieving ejaculation. Zoloft's side effects for women include trouble having an 

Zoloft’s side effects may appear within the first week of taking the drug. Certain problems such as nausea and drowsiness are more likely to appear 

. These effects may also emerge or worsen if your dosage is increased. The initial side effects of Zoloft may also wear off over time.

In rare cases, this medication may also lead to more serious side effects. Zoloft can cause hallucinations, seizures, bleeding problems, and rashes. If you notice any of these health problems while taking Zoloft, contact your doctor right 

Zoloft can also cause night sweats. About 22% of people taking antidepressants experience episodes of extreme sweating while sleeping and may wake up to find that their bedsheets or pajamas are soaked 

. Zoloft is one of the antidepressants most likely to cause this side effect.

Although this drug is an antidepressant, Zoloft can also treat anxiety and other mental health conditions. In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zoloft for the treatment of multiple anxiety disorders and related conditions, including social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is also used off-label to treat generalized anxiety 

Studies show that Zoloft works quickly to treat anxiety — symptoms often improve within the first six weeks of taking the drug. Zoloft helps with anxiety even more quickly than it helps with 

Healthy Ways to Treat Insomnia Caused by Zoloft

Although many people believe that insomnia can only be cured with drugs, the truth is that there are effective non-pharmacological methods for treating insomnia. In fact, 

 from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American College of Physicians recommend non-pharmacological treatments as first-line interventions.

 — studies have shown that exercising regularly works just as well as sleeping pills but without the 

. What’s more, 83% of people who exercise regularly report sleeping better. Exercise is also an excellent way to manage depression.

 help reduce stress, which is one of the leading factors behind insomnia. According to a 2019 

, those who do yoga and other mind-body practices such as meditation, tai chi, and qigong have better sleep quality. Studies have shown that mindfulness is also an effective intervention for insomnia.

 can also promote healthy sleep patterns. The more you provide a stable routine for your sleep, the more optimal your sleep will be over time. When sleep becomes more reliable, you will decrease the links between sleep and negative emotions, and thus reduce and eventually avoid hyperarousal.

If you struggle with depression and insomnia, be sure to discuss these concerns with your physician to determine the potential cause and the best course of action for treatment.

Why CBT-I May Be the Best Cure for Insomnia

Curing insomnia doesn’t have to involve drugs that create dependency and cause unwanted side effects. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I)

 is a scientific, evidence-based approach to treating insomnia. CBT-I is based on the principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy — 

 that focuses on the connection between our thoughts, emotions, and habits.

CBT-I is recommended by the American Academy for Sleep Medicine, the American College of Physicians, and the European Sleep Research Society.

Utilizing the principles of CBT-I, Dawn is completely safe and, unlike sleep medications, it does not cause side effects or create dependency. In clinical trials, 80% of people who underwent CBT-I reported better sleep patterns, and 

 show that CBT-I can help you fall asleep effortlessly without pills.

To learn more about how to effectively treat your insomnia and why Dawn is the right choice for you, please fill out this 

 to start your journey to a restful night’s sleep!

For more resources on insomnia and to discover how CBT-I can help, visit 

Wichniak, A., Wierzbicka, A., Walęcka, M., & Jernajczyk, W. (2017). Effects of Antidepressants on Sleep. 

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-017-0816-4

https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a697048.html

Antidepressants: Get tips to cope with side effects.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/antidepressants/art-20049305

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12119-insomnia

Singh, H.K., Saadabadi, A. (2022 February 21). Sertraline. In: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547689/

Staff Perspective: Night Sweats - About Nocturnal Hyperhidrosis.

https://deploymentpsych.org/blog/staff-perspective-night-sweats-about-nocturnal-hyperhidrosis

Lewis, G., Duffy, L., Ades, A., Amos, R., Araya, R., Brabyn, S., Button, K. S., Churchill, R., Derrick, C., Dowrick, C., Gilbody, S., Fawsitt, C., Hollingworth, W., Jones, V., Kendrick, T., Kessler, D., Kounali, D., Khan, N., Lanham, P., Pervin, J., … Lewis, G. (2019). The clinical effectiveness of sertraline in primary care and the role of depression severity and duration (PANDA): a pragmatic, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised trial. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(19)30366-9

Schutte-Rodin, S., Broch, L., Buysse, D., Dorsey, C., & Sateia, M. (2008). Clinical guideline for the evaluation and management of chronic insomnia in adults. 

Wang, X., Li, P., Pan, C., Dai, L., Wu, Y., & Deng, Y. (2019). The Effect of Mind-Body Therapies on Insomnia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 

Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2019

Zoloft (aka sertraline) is an SSRI and is known to have side effects relating to sleep. Learn about Zoloft insomnia and how to treat it with CBT-I.

Zoloft Insomnia: Can Zoloft (Sertraline) Cause Insomnia? | Dawn Health

Can Zoloft (Sertraline) Cause Insomnia?

Anyone who has had trouble sleeping understands the value of a good night’s rest.

 may be easy for some, the reality is very different for others. The problem can be compounded when the same medication that is supposed to help you sleep causes many sleepless nights instead.

If you are having trouble sleeping after discontinuing your sleep medications, you may be suffering from rebound insomnia. Our expert sleep therapists have no wait and can talk as soon as today. We take insurance in several states and have affordable self-pay options! You can learn about by clicking to our home page.

Several different sleep aids can make it harder to rest in the long term. Even natural substances like melatonin may lead to rebound insomnia. This condition can also be caused by sleeping medications such as:1

Read on to learn more about this side effect of sleeping pills. Discover the definition of rebound insomnia, why this condition happens, and steps you can take to help prevent or treat it.

 is difficulty sleeping that occurs once you abruptly stop taking commonly prescribed sleep medications like benzodiazepine hypnotic drugs.

If you have rebound insomnia, you may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. This phenomenon can be difficult to deal with on a psychological level — if you have rebound insomnia, you may start to lose confidence in your body’s ability to get to sleep on its own.

The ease with which you fall asleep depends upon an intricate balance between different neurotransmitters (chemicals in the brain). Sleeping pills also influence these neurotransmitters.

For example, benzodiazepine drugs induce sleep through a neurotransmitter known as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA calms nerve cells and slows down different processes in the body and brain, helping improve sleep. Benzodiazepines help enhance GABA’s relaxing effects.

As you continue to use sleeping medications, your brain gets used to having altered levels of different neurotransmitters, and you may eventually need to increase your medication dose to fall asleep. This process is known as tolerance.

When you stop taking sleep aids, the levels of sleep-supporting neurotransmitters drop sharply. Your brain, which is used to higher-than-normal levels of these substances, can no longer relax as easily as it once did. Sudden changes in brain chemistry can lead to symptoms of withdrawal, including rebound insomnia.

. Symptoms may last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks after you stop taking a sleeping pill.

The exact duration of rebound insomnia depends upon a couple of factors. Some studies have found that higher doses of sleeping pills may be more likely to lead to rebound insomnia.

 If you’re using sleeping medication, make sure to follow your doctor’s instructions. Don’t take a higher dose than recommended, or you may be putting yourself at risk for rebound insomnia and other withdrawal symptoms.

Rebound insomnia may also last for varying amounts of time based on your own biological factors and the sleeping medication’s half-life.

Why Is the Half-Life of a Drug Important?

The half-life of a drug describes how long it is active within your body. Sleeping medications with shorter half-lives tend to cause harsher rebound insomnia, but fortunately, the effect is shorter-lived. Medications with a longer half-life may lead to longer-lasting rebound insomnia.

By definition, a drug’s half-life is the amount of time it takes for your body to clear away half of the drug.6 For example, if a drug has a half-life of two hours, then two hours after taking it, you will have 50% of the original dose remaining in your body. After another two hours, or four hours total, the concentration will drop in half again, leaving you with 25% of your starting dose.

Benzodiazepine drugs prescribed for sleeping problems are grouped into three categories based on their half-life:

Short-acting drugs have a half-life of less than six hours

Intermediate-acting drugs have a half-life between six and 24 hours

Long-acting drugs have a half-life of more than 24 hours

Rebound insomnia may be more likely to occur after you use short- or intermediate-acting benzodiazepines.

 Short-acting drugs include Sonata (average half-life of 1 hour),

 Intermediate-acting drugs include Lunesta (6 hours)

 Klonopin is a long-acting benzodiazepine with a half life of 30-40 hours.

‘Prevention is better than cure’ is a phrase health professionals swear by, and with good reason. Thus, the best way to avoid rebound insomnia is by avoiding sleeping medications altogether.

If you are already taking sleeping meds, it's vital that you do not discontinue their use abruptly. Gradually tapering the dose under professional supervision can help you prevent rebound insomnia. Try reducing your dose a little more each week.

Alternatively, if you already take a low dose and are using the medication every night, start taking your medication every other day. Eventually switch to using it once every three days, and then every four, slowly taking it less often.13 Give it time and let your body adjust to not having to rely on medications to sleep.

If you’re experiencing rebound insomnia, try to have a consistent wake-up time to aid your natural sleep drive in getting you back on track. 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)

 that can help you overcome insomnia and stay on track as you stop relying on sleeping medications. It may also help you avoid taking sleeping pills to begin with. CBT-I is the better alternative to sleeping medications as it is equally effective in the short term and more effective in the long term.14

CBT-I is a form of talking therapy that focuses on the idea that our thoughts, habits, and emotions are connected and influence one another and our sleep. Challenging your thoughts, changing habits, and being more accepting of feelings can help you through any difficult phases while discontinuing your sleeping medication.

 about rebound insomnia and discover how to counteract the effects of weaning off of sleeping medication, 

Roehrs, T., Vogel, G., & Roth, T. (1990). Rebound insomnia: its determinants and significance. The American journal of medicine, 88(3A), 39S–42S. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/s0002-9343(13)80001-0

Griffin, C. E., 3rd, Kaye, A. M., Bueno, F. R., & Kaye, A. D. (2013). Benzodiazepine pharmacology and central nervous system-mediated effects. The Ochsner journal, 13(2), 214–223.

Miller, N. S., Dackis, C. A., & Gold, M. S. (1987). The relationship of addiction, tolerance, and dependence to alcohol and drugs: a neurochemical approach. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 4(3-4), 197–207. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/s0740-5472(87)80014-4

Sateia, M. J., Buysse, D. J., Krystal, A. D., Neubauer, D. N., & Heald, J. L. (2017). Clinical Practice Guideline for the Pharmacologic Treatment of Chronic Insomnia in Adults: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline. Journal of clinical sleep medicine, 13(2), 307–349. 

Merlotti, L., Roehrs, T., Zorick, F., & Roth, T. (1991). Rebound insomnia: duration of use and individual differences. Journal of clinical psychopharmacology, 11(6), 368–373.

Hallare, J., & Gerriets, V. (2021, August 23). Half Life. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554498/

Terzano, M. G., Rossi, M., Palomba, V., Smerieri, A., & Parrino, L. (2003). New drugs for insomnia: comparative tolerability of zopiclone, zolpidem and zaleplon. Drug safety, 26(4), 261–282. 

https://doi.org/10.2165/00002018-200326040-00004

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2014, September). Halcion triazolam tablets, USP CIV. 

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2014/017892s047lbl.pdf

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2005, August 29). Ambien CR (zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets). 

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2005/021774lbl.pdf

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2008, January 24). Lunesta (eszopiclone) tablets. 

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2008/021476s005s008lbl.pdf

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2010, March 17). Silenor (doxepin) tablets for oral administration. 

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2010/022036lbl.pdf

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2013, October). Klonopin tablets (clonazepam). 

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2013/017533s053,020813s009lbl.pdf

Cleveland Clinic. (2020, May 4). Here’s how you can overcome insomnia. 

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/heres-how-you-can-overcome-insomnia/

Trauer, J. M., Qian, M. Y., Doyle, J. S., Rajaratnam, S. M., & Cunnington, D. (2015). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Insomnia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Annals of internal medicine, 163(3), 191–204. 

What is rebound insomnia? How long does rebound insomnia last? Read on to learn how to treat insomnia from abruptly stopping your sleep medication.

Rebound Insomnia: Definition

Rebound Insomnia

 are bodily systems in the body that follow a roughly 24-hour cycle and repeat each day. These consistent rhythms control the body’s sleep/wake cycles — when you fall asleep and when you awaken — as well as other important processes like metabolism, body temperature, and hormones.1

Circadian rhythms are primarily regulated by light, but can also be influenced by other external cues like temperature, exercise, and social interactions.2 These cues influence the body’s master clock, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). For example, when the external environment becomes dark, the SCN turns on circadian rhythm genes and tells the body to produce  melatonin, a hormone that makes you feel more tired. In this way, cues like light affect your sleep timing.1

Circadian rhythms are one of two processes in your body that help regulate sleep. The other is the 

, which is the biological need for sleep.3 The longer you are awake, the more your sleep drive increases and the greater your need to go to bed. The sleep drive and circadian rhythms work together to control when you feel sleepy and how deeply you sleep.4

What Else Do Circadian Rhythms Affect Besides Sleep?

Circadian rhythms influence health in many ways. For example, disruptions in circadian rhythms and 

 are linked to chronic health conditions like:5

Metabolic disorders, including obesity, diabetes, and hypertension (high blood pressure)

Mood disorders like depression, seasonal affective disorder, and bipolar disorder

Neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease

Immune system disorders and inflammatory conditions

Causes and Symptoms of Circadian Rhythm Disorders

Health problems can occur when the body’s circadian rhythms get out of sync with the light-dark cycles that are happening in the environment. In the short term, circadian disorders can be temporarily disrupted by things like 

, in which traveling across multiple time zones causes irregularities in sleep and wake times.6

Circadian rhythm disorders can develop due to more long-term causes. These may include:6

Having sleep habits that don’t align with light-dark cues in the environment

Symptoms of circadian rhythm disorders can include insomnia and fatigue as well as trouble concentrating, focusing, remembering, or making decisions.6

What Are the Long-Term Benefits of Healthy Sleep Habits for Adults?

 can help you optimize the hormones in your brain that reinforce your body’s internal clock, causing you to fall asleep and wake up with consistency and ease.

Following a good sleep schedule also allows your body to make growth hormone, which helps build muscle and repair damage, and sex hormones, which help control fertility.7

Healthy sleep patterns also allow your brain, heart, and other organs to rest, strengthening your memory, improving your cardiovascular system, and helping protect against disease.7

How Can You Reset, Regulate, and Improve Circadian Rhythms?

You can influence your circadian rhythms by changing when your body is exposed to light. Bright light from the sun or from lights in your house signals to your body that it is daytime, resetting the processes in your body that control your circadian rhythms.1 In particular, it is important to be exposed to bright light soon after you wake up, to help reinforce to your circadian rhythms that it is daytime.8 Resetting your circadian rhythms requires daily exposure to light and can take several weeks to effectively shift.

The blue light that emits from electronics screens may also be a factor. Some research has found that blue light lowers the amount of melatonin that your body produces, shifting your circadian rhythms and delaying your sense of sleepiness later in the evening.9

However, other research has found that blue light doesn’t disrupt circadian rhythms as much as previously suspected.10 You will benefit from finding what level of exposure works for you. It’s possible that the stress of avoiding screens might be worse for sleep than the screens themselves.

To maintain consistent circadian rhythms, it helps to develop long-term habits. Wake up at a similar time each day, get lots of bright light in the mornings, and go to bed at the same time each evening. This can keep the genes, hormones, and other factors that influence your circadian rhythms operating on the same schedule each day.

For personalized advice on improving your own circadian rhythm, fill out our 

. Dawn can connect you to a sleep coach who can help you understand the best next steps to take.

National Institute of General Medical Sciences. (2021, September 9). 

https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/circadian-rhythms.aspx

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. 

https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-2/85-93.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, March 31). 

NIOSH Training for Nurses on Shift Work and Long Work Hours.

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/work-hour-training-for-nurses/longhours/mod2/11.html

Borbély, A. A., Daan, S., Wirz-Justice, A., & Deboer, T. (2016). The two-process model of sleep regulation: a reappraisal. 

(2), 131–143. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.12371

Jagannath, A., Taylor, L., Wakaf, Z., Vasudevan, S. R., & Foster, R. G. (2017). The genetics of circadian rhythms, sleep and health. 

(R2), R128–R138. https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddx240

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2019, September 25). 

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/circadian-rhythm-disorders

https://medlineplus.gov/healthysleep.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, April 1). 

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/emres/longhourstraining/light.html

Chang, A. M., Aeschbach, D., Duffy, J. F., & Czeisler, C. A. (2015). Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep, circadian timing, and next-morning alertness. 

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 112

(4), 1232–1237. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1418490112

Mouland, J. W., Martial, F., Watson, A., Lucas, R. J., & Brown, T. M. (2019). Cones Support Alignment to an Inconsistent World by Suppressing Mouse Circadian Responses to the Blue Colors Associated with Twilight. 

(24), 4260–4267.e4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2019.10.028

Learn all about the circadian rhythm, what it affects besides sleep, circadian rhythm disorders, and how to reset your circadian rhythm with Dawn.

What is Circadian Rhythm? 

Many women struggle with getting a good night’s sleep. While sometimes, the causes of sleep problems are the same regardless of gender. In other cases, insomnia in women has its own unique causes.

Cause you to wake up too early or have trouble staying asleep throughout the night

Although anyone can suffer from insomnia, the condition is 

 in women.2 Additionally, women who experience insomnia are more likely to experience multiple insomnia symptoms, while men are more likely to report only one insomnia symptom.3

Why Are Women More Likely To Have Insomnia?

There are several factors that may make insomnia more common in women. Many of these causes are linked to hormones.

The menstrual cycle is one possible cause of insomnia in younger females. Women are most likely to report poor sleep during 

Your menstrual cycle is controlled by various sex hormones, including estrogen and progesterone. Levels of these hormones drop at the end of your cycle, just before your period, leading to symptoms like cramping, mood swings, and sleep problems.5

It’s not entirely clear how sex hormones affect sleep. Research shows that for some women, decreasing levels of estrogen and progesterone cause the body to make less melatonin, a sleep hormone.6

 experience sleeping difficulties while expecting.7 

 is usually worse during the third trimester.

There are several possible pregnancy-related health changes that could disrupt sleep, such as:7

Needing to wake up to frequently use the bathroom

Experiencing breathing problems, such as shortness of breath

During perimenopause, the body produces less estrogen and progesterone and periods become more irregular. Once your periods stop completely, you are said to be in menopause.8

Ever wondered whether insomnia is more common in females or males? There are several factors that cause insomnia specifically in females, due to hormones.