Trazodone Sedation Effects Across Doses

Dose-Dependent Pharmacology

• At low doses (25-100 mg), trazodone acts primarily as a serotonin antagonist with prominent sedative, hypnotic, and anxiolytic effects through antagonism of alpha2-adrenergic receptors and 5-HT2/1C receptors, providing a basis for its therapeutic use 1

Clinical Evidence on Sedation Across Doses

• In a study of 60 patients prescribed trazodone for nightmares, doses ranged from 25-600 mg (mean 212 mg), and 60% of patients who tolerated the medication complained of daytime sedation, with 19% discontinuing due to side effects including excessive daytime sedation 2

Important Clinical Caveats

• The American Academy of Sleep Medicine explicitly recommends against using trazodone for insomnia, as benefits do not outweigh harms, and it should only be considered as a third-line agent after other treatments have failed 3