There are many co-morbidities associated with anxiety and insomnia. When you’re too anxious to sleep, insomnia is triggered, and in a vicious cycle insomnia can also heighten anxiety. However, medications to help with a myriad of mental health conditions can also cause or exacerbate insomnia, including antidepressants. A recent article in The Detroit News describes how popular antidepressants, like Wellbutrin, are known for causing what is typically considered “short-term insomnia” in patients (though some may experience the onset of long-term insomnia).
Wellbutrin is not an SSRI (like Celexa and Prozac), so it has a different side effect profile. SSRIs are more often noted for their sexual side effects as well as a tendency to cause weight loss or weight gain. However, bupropion (which is in Wellbutrin) is known for causing nausea, dry mouth, dizziness—and insomnia. “Insomnia can be a real problem,” warns the article. If you don’t get the sleep you need, especially chronically, you may struggle with a variety of other issues mentally, physically, professionally, and socially. Lack of sleep is also a danger to you and those around you. Notoriously, not getting enough sleep and then getting behind the wheel has been shown to be just as risky as driving drunk.
What to Do About Insomnia
For years, the go-to answer for trouble sleeping has been medications and so-called “natural” solutions like melatonin. However, taking pharmaceuticals and even some organic solutions also have possible side effects as well as a risk for dependency. Some options can also interfere with other drugs, such as Wellbutrin. If you are taking a medication like an antidepressant, it is important to consider the possible side effects and seek a solution or means of counterbalancing these effects safely and naturally. The risk of insomnia with Wellbutrin will depend both on the person and the dosage. It is not uncommon for a person to be prescribed a daily dose ranging from 150 – 300 mg. Those on the higher end may experience having enough of the drug left in their system to make it difficult to fall and stay asleep.
If this is the case, you may want to talk to your prescribing physician about lowering the dosage. Also, be sure to discuss any other medications or supplements you may be using or considering, including sleep aids. Sip2Sleep® is a truly natural solution that can pair well with Rx drugs. It is made entirely from plant-based sources including Montmorency tart cherries and Venetron®. Tart cherry juice was highlighted by researchers as being rich in anti-inflammatory benefits while Venetron® is derived from a plant and helps to naturally reduce anxiety.
Sip2Sleep® as Part of Your Sleep Hygiene
Increasingly, and fortunately, there has been a movement towards cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) instead of pharmaceuticals in recent years to help those who struggle with sleep. However, anyone can adopt better sleep habits and sleep hygiene. This includes getting enough exercise daily (but not immediately before bed), avoiding screens for at least two hours before bed, and adopting healthy rituals to cue the body and mind that it’s almost time for sleep. This might include reading a book, taking a warm bath, or drinking Sip2Sleep® instead of a cocktail.
HealthNews warns that those who have both depression and anxiety (common co-morbidities) “may not do well with bupropion, because it does tend to be stimulating. People with depression and fatigue, and excess sleeping, are excellent candidates for bupropion.”