Tips to Reduce Drowsiness While Taking Seroquel

The prescription medication Seroquel has been a god-send for millions of people, freeing them from troubling symptoms of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and psychotic episodes. Seroquel is part of a class of drugs known as atypical antipsychotics, and while any antipsychotic drug can cause drowsiness, Seroquel in particular is known for causing extreme sleepiness in some individuals. In fact, Seroquel is sometimes prescribed "off-label" for chronic insomnia because it causes drowsiness so reliably. While this is just the nature of the drug, there are some simple things you can do to reduce drowsiness while taking Seroquel:

1. Take your daily dose of Seroquel before bed, instead of in the morning. This is probably the best advice to overcome the sleepiness Seroquel causes. Seroquel makes you the most tired for the few hours after you take it, so it makes sense to take Seroquel just before bed. This will give your body a chance to get through the most-pronounced drowsiness while you sleep, and you should feel much more alert when you wake up. Make sure you set an alarm clock, though, as Seroquel will make many people sleep for longer than they normally would.

2. Never take Seroquel on an empty stomach. Your body will absorb Seroquel much more rapidly on an empty stomach than a full one. This can exaggerate the drowsiness that Seroquel causes. You don't have to eat a whole meal before taking your Seroquel, but if you can take it with something in your stomach you will find it makes you much less tired.

3. Make sure you are taking the lowest possible dose of Seroquel. For most people, the higher their daily dose of Seroquel is, the more drowsiness they experience. Many doctors will prescribe Seroquel at doses of 600/mg a day or higher...this is simply too much for most people. As with any psychiatric drug, the dose should start very low and increase very gradually just until the point of symptom relief. Many individuals, particularly those with bipolar disorder, find that they do fine on 200mg or 300mg of Seroquel per day. Making sure that you are taking the lowest possible dose of Seroquel for you will give you the best possible chance of overcoming the sleepiness associated with this antipsychotic medicine.

Finally, if despite trying these tips, you are finding yourself too sleepy to function normally, talk to your doctor about switching to a different medication. While Seroquel has helped many people with mental illness return to normal, happy lives, the drug is not for everyone. Other medications are known to cause drowsiness less frequently than Seroquel, so switching drugs may be what is necessary for you. For more information about Seroquel, talk to your doctor or visit the Seroquel website listed in the resources section of this article.