{"id":627920,"date":"2024-05-13T09:30:01","date_gmt":"2024-05-13T13:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=627920"},"modified":"2025-01-09T13:54:25","modified_gmt":"2025-01-09T18:54:25","slug":"does-zoloft-make-you-tired","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/does-zoloft-make-you-tired\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Zoloft make you tired?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Zoloft (sertraline)<\/span><\/a> is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a type of antidepressant that is <\/span>FDA approved to treat<\/span> major depressive disorder, panic disorder, panic attacks, <\/span>obsessive-compulsive disorder<\/span><\/a> (OCD), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), posttraumatic stress disorder, and social anxiety disorder. Fatigue is a <\/span>potential side effect of Zoloft<\/span>, but it\u2019s less common than with other antidepressants. In fact, Zoloft actually gives some people an energy boost because it alleviates symptoms of depression, including tiredness. Read on to learn more about how common it is for Zoloft to make you feel sleepy, how long to expect this side effect to last, and what to do if you are dealing with fatigue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Does Zoloft make you tired?<\/span><\/h2>\n

About 10% of patients will experience drowsiness from Zoloft, says <\/span>Jack Drescher, MD<\/span>, psychiatrist and past president of the <\/span>Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Increased fatigue is a <\/span>common side effect of antidepressants<\/span>, but Zoloft is less likely to make you tired than many. \u201cOther SSRIs, like <\/span>Paxil<\/span><\/a>, are more commonly sedating compared to Zoloft,\u201d says Bryan Bruno, MD, psychiatrist and medical director at <\/span>Mid City TMS<\/span>, a medical center focused on treating depression in New York, New York. Overall, Zoloft has fewer side effects than other types of antidepressants, such as <\/span>tricyclic antidepressants or monoamine oxidase inhibitors<\/span> (MAOIs).<\/span><\/p>\n

Still, Zoloft can sometimes cause symptoms of sleepiness and fatigue, especially when you first start taking it. \u201cIf it occurs, the fatigue tends to last for a few weeks at the start of treatment, gradually improving, but for some people, it may last longer,\u201d explains Dr. Bruno. More often, Zoloft provides a much-needed energy boost. \u201cZoloft can actually improve energy levels, especially when low energy is a symptom of depression,\u201d Dr. Bruno says.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf the medicine is working the way it is supposed to, it should not diminish energy levels,\u201d agrees Dr. Drescher. \u201cOn the contrary, a person with low energy levels from depression may experience an increase in energy with Zoloft or other antidepressants.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Other common side effects<\/span><\/a> of sertraline include:<\/span><\/p>\n