Why does seroquel make you so tired?

If you’ve ever taken seroquel, chances are you’ve experienced the exhaustion that comes with it. Whether it’s in the morning or throughout the day, this medication can leave even the most active person feeling like a sloth who just wants to curl up and sleep forever.

But why does seroquel make you so tired? Is it some diabolical plot by pharmaceutical companies to keep us all asleep so they can take over the world (just kidding)? Let’s dig deeper into the science behind this sleepy side effect and explore possible strategies for overcoming it.

The Lowdown on Seroquel

Before we dive into why seroquel makes us feel like we need 12 hours of sleep each night, let’s take a quick look at what this medication actually does.

Seroquel is an antipsychotic drug used primarily to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It works by blocking certain receptors in the brain that are responsible for regulating mood, behavior, and perception. In simpler terms- it helps balance out wonky chemicals in our brains!

In addition to its approved uses as an antipsychotic medication, doctors may also prescribe seroquel off-label for other conditions such as insomnia, anxiety disorders or depression (not being able to fall asleep AND wanting cake). Basically meaning using something for another purpose than intended originally!

How Seroquel Works

To understand why seroquels can be nap inducing (or help-insomnia), we need to talk about how medications interact with our brains – no worries I’ll keep things simple here! Serotonin is a chemical messenger that plays a key role in regulating mood-an overall happy hormone-and has been strongly associated with treating depression/anxiety . Besides serotonin other neurotransmitters could affect/control arousal levels/motivation:

Dopamine

Dopamine influences motivation-reward seeking behaviors (think motivation like at the gym and being rewarded with delicious food) as well as pleasure reactions.

Histamine

Histamine is crucial for good health but in our context let’s keep things simple, histamine keeps us alert and motivated.

Norepinephrine

Norepinephrine controls focus and vigilance. So data management nerds out there- thank your this hormone for allowing you to stare at a computer screen all day!

Seroquel blocks specific dopamine receptors in the brain -D2 Receptorsyay! In turn making it impossible for these chemicals to bind with them hence people may experience little pleasure or drink less juices/smoothies!. It also blocks two types of norepinephrine receptor thus dampening excitement levels (struggle town)! And finally H1 receptor blockage-the same type targeted by antihistamines-causes drowsiness (the real reason why Grandma’s sleep with cough syrup)!

The Sleepy Side Effect

The sleepy side effect of seroquel has been observed since its initial clinical trials. Patients taking higher doses reported feeling extremely tired during the day (can you say siesta?). This might be partly due too blocking exactly those brain regions that control wakefulness/vigilance. Other common adverse effects included dry mouth,respiratory depression-loss of muscle tone-, blurred vision, hypertension-high blood pressure-, constipation-some guys just do not move their bowels after this med-(just imagine)-and many more even worse side effects such as hair loss (cue dramatic music) !

Although fatigue while taking seroquel can seem daunting, changing medication without consulting your doctor isn’t advisable (as if). Stopping this medication cold turkey isn’t advised either—that could cause withdrawal symptoms that are worse than what made someone start taking Seroquel initially.

Managing Fatigue

So if you’re feeling overly sluggish while taking seroquel, what can you do? (Other than chugging a pot of coffee?) Here are some strategies that may help.

Have an early sleep schedule

Scheduling regular sleeping times will help ensure you get quality-for the amount- of Zzzz’s advice: Don’t overdo it (too much relaxation could make people lethargic)!

Cut off caffeine and alcohol

Coffee addicts need to cut down on caffeine. And let’s face it, alcohol is never good news for positive sleeeeeep!

Exercise more

Increase activity levels will greatly boost energy levels, even moderate exercising such as taking walks in one’s own neighborhood (virtual staff meetings perhaps?) . But don’t forget social distancing.

Switch medication dosage/timing

Talk to your doctor about whether there might be other options for adjusting doses or treatment timing – maybe lower dose- change time taken/make changes slowly… This could improve the side effects experienced when taking Seroquel symptoms without stopping altogether.

Conclusion

So why does seroquel make us feel so tired? It’s all due to its ability to block certain chemicals in our brains that regulate mood and arousal- reducing focus/wakefulness-as well suppress motivation/pleasure receptors. While this might lead down a world of talk therapy explore alternative aids first before switching medications…

Like implementing lifestyle choices; develop-strict-sleeping patterns, avoiding those dessert cafes & exercise at home! Nonetheless remember not stop meds cold turkey -unless advised otherwise by docs-hence having big withdrawal symptoms including anxiety/painful shakes….you wouldnt believe the whole ‘head spinning around like Linda Blair’ look!

All said it doesn’t have to be all doom/gloom while taking these meds with some cognitive behavioral regimen/slowly changing game plan-seroquel can be managed –without professional insight i assure— perfect way for people to work around conditions(and actually get some shuteye besides).

Keep calm and view seroquel as a street-smart buddy who’s keeping my brain on track-yours too (just make sure not to ‘over sleep’ with him!)

Random Posts