Antidepressants used to help me sleep, now I rely on these 3 things instead

A dimly lit clean bedroom with a low bedside lamp and a book on the bed.

The effect of antidepressants on sleep has been widely documented, with different people experiencing varying side effects, depending on the medication they take. When I first started taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which have been proven to disrupt sleep, I felt as if I didn’t need any sleep at all.

For weeks, I survived on just a few hours of sleep a night, falling asleep in the early hours of the morning, and waking feeling energized at 7am. However, as my body became more accustomed to taking the antidepressant, this lack of sleepiness subsided. In its place was an opposite side effect; I slept for over 9 hours every night and napped for 1-2 hours during the day.