Can Lexapro make me tired?
By
Dr Natalia Marceli Stephanes (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes PhD is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drugs Administration and Toxicity; Discovery of New Drugs; Cancer Treatment; Biochemical Analyzes and Hematological Analyzes. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes’ Highlights:
- Pharmacist at the Department of Health of Santa Catarina State, Brazil
- PhD with a focus on oncology treatment
- Years of experience in commercial pharmacy
- Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina
Professional Experience:
From her undergraduate studies to her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Pharmacy, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has participated in numerous scientific studies in the field of oncology and onco-hematology at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Her research has focused on understanding the molecular and biochemical bases of malignant neoplasms and investigating safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has also served as an assistant professor of haematology for undergraduate students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. Additionally, she held the position of professor of Hospital Pharmacy at the Qualificar Technical School in Brazil, where she developed instructional materials for use in the Pharmacy Postgraduate Program at the Leonardo Da Vinci University Center.
In addition to her academic experiences, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes possesses a strong expertise in commercial pharmacy, with in-depth knowledge of medications, their routes of administration, desired effects, adverse effects, and toxicity.
Currently, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes works as a Pharmacist at the Health Department of Santa Catarina State, where her role entails providing pharmaceutical scientific consulting services to judges.
Education:
- 2016 Bachelor in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2018 Master in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2023 PhD in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
The main publications of Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes are:
Falchetti M ; Delgobo M, Zancanaro H, Almeida K, Das Neves RN, Dos Santos B, Stefanes NM, et al. Bishop Omics-based identification of an NRF2-related auranofin resistance signature in cancer: Insights into drug repurposing. Comput. Biol. Med [Internet]. 2023; 152:106347.
Feuser PM, Matos dos Santos PC, Cordeiro AP, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Maioral MF, Santos-Silva MC, et al. Antineoplastic activity of free 4-nitrochalcone and encapsulated in poly(thioether-ester) nanoparticles obtained by thiol-ene polymerization in two human leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and K562). J Drug Deliv Sci Technol [Internet]. 2022; 67:102924.
Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Perondi DM, Efe FL, Souza LFS, Sens L, et al. Synthesis of chalcones derived from 1-naphthylacetophenone and evaluation of their cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in acute leukemia cell lines. Bioorg. Chem [Internet]. 2021; 116:105315.
Duarte BF, Vieira DSC, Lisboa ML, Stefanes NM, Grando LJ, Santos-Silva MC. Características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes portadores de carcinoma de células escamosas de boca. Arquivos Catarinenses de Medicina. 2021; 50(2): 232–245.
Machado V, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Santos-Silva MC, Biavatti MW. Anti-leukemic activity of semisynthetic derivatives of Lupeol. Nat. Prod. Res. 2021; 35(22):4494-4501.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Yunes RA, et al. A novel sulfonamide derivative as a strong and selective apoptotic agent against hematological malignancies. Chem. Pap. 2020; 74:2965–2976.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Cytotoxic mechanisms of primin, a natural quinone isolated from Eugenia hiemalis, on hematological cancer cell lines. Anticancer Drugs. 2020; 31(7):709-717.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Neufeldt PD, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Santos-Silva MC. Aldehyde biphenyl chalcones induce immunogenic apoptotic-like cell death and are promising new safe compounds against a wide range of hematologic cancers. Future Med. Chem. 2020; 12(8):673–688.
Perondi DM, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Maioral MF, Sens L, Pacheco LA, Cury NM, et al. A novel thiosemicarbazone as a promising effective and selective compound for acute leukemia. Anticancer Drugs. 2019; 30(8):p 828-837.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Argenta DF, Dotto MER, Santos-Silva MC, et al. PEO-chitosan nanofibers containing carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanoparticles loaded with pyrazoline for skin cancer treatment. Eur. Polym. J. 2019; 119:335-343.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Santos-Silva MC, Nunes RJ, Parize AL, et al. A new and efficient carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanocarrier for a pyrazoline with antileukemic activity. Mater. Sci. Eng. C [Internet]. 2019; 105:110051.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Miconidine acetate, a new selective and cytotoxic compound with synergic potential, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in leukemia cells. Invest. New Drugs. 2019; 37:912–922.
Srefanes NM, Toigo J, Maioral MF, Jacques AV, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Perondi DM, Ribeiro AAB, et al. Synthesis of novel pyrazoline derivatives and the evaluation of death mechanisms involved in their antileukemic activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2019; 27(2):375-382.
Maioral MF, Bodack CN, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Yunes RA, et al. Cytotoxic effect of a novel naphthylchalcone against multiple cancer cells focusing on hematologic malignancies. Biochim. 2017; 140:48-57.
You can view some of Dr Natália’s work below and links to her professional profile below.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natalia-Stephanes
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliamarceli/
Can Lexapro make you tired?
Yes, Lexapro (Escitalopram) can make you feel tired, especially during the early course of your treatment. This usually happens when you’re new to Lexapro or antidepressants in general and your body is trying to adjust to the medication.
Lexapro is an antidepressant and it increases the amount of serotonin in your body. Now, this can cause a number of different side effects. Some people may feel weary and sleepy all the time, while others may find it difficult to fall asleep and suffer from insomnia.
These side effects vary from person to person and depend on how well your body generally responds to Lexapro.
What does research suggest?
There are a number of research studies on the effects of Lexapro and SSRI antidepressants in general on energy levels and sleep architecture. Tiredness and daytime sleepiness are listed as side effects of Lexapro and it can affect people differently.
A research review discussed a study which compared the effects of Lexapro and a tricyclic antidepressant on sleep patterns. The review indicated that both antidepressants are somewhat equally responsible for causing tiredness by affecting REM sleep and increasing nighttime wakefulness (1).
This can result in daytime sleepiness and fatigue. Several other studies have also indicated the exact same reason for Lexapro-induced tiredness – that is lack of sleep.
However, most studies added that these side effects are common during the early course of treatments and they do begin to get better as the user’s body starts to adjust to Lexapro.
Should you be concerned about Lexapro-induced tiredness?
Lexapro is generally not associated with troublesome tiredness or fatigue and it generally begins to fade away within a few weeks as your treatment continues.
However, some people may not recover that well from the side effects caused by this antidepressant. Lexapro is generally well tolerated, but might not be the best choice of antidepressant for every other individual.
If your tiredness increases day by day or your mental alertness seems affected, it’s best to talk to your healthcare provider.
What to do if Lexapro makes you tired?
If Lexapro makes you tired, there are a few things you can do. These include:
Consult your healthcare provider
Consulting your healthcare provider in case of a side effect should be your first approach. I have seen people who stop using the medication abruptly just to get rid of the side effects, but that’s the worst thing you could do to yourself.
Lexapro and other antidepressants affect your brain chemistry and they should never be stopped cold turkey.
In some cases, the dose of the patient is reduced and that works just fine. If your doctor thinks dose reduction can fix your problem, you won’t even need to stop the medication and your depression treatment will not be disturbed.
If your side effects are unbearable, that’s when your doctor will determine the best taper schedule for you to stop using Lexapro safely.
The time required for the safe discontinuation of Lexapro depends on your current dosage strength and your overall duration of treatment with this medication.
This is not something you should ever do on your own. So, if you feel Lexapro is making you feel tired, sleepy, or exhausted – just reach out to your doctor.
Take Lexapro at bedtime
The time at which you take Lexapro can also help you deal with some of the side effects. If the drug is making you feel tired, or sleepy, or reduces your mental alertness, I recommend taking it at bedtime.
If you’re already taking it at night but continue to feel tired the following morning, dose reduction seems to be a better option for you. However, if you’re taking it in the morning, you can ask your doctor to switch it to bedtime.
Don’t pair Lexapro with alcohol
Alcohol is a depressant and taking it with Lexapro can not only cause tiredness but a number of other disturbing side effects. Alcohol can enhance Lexapro-induced side effects and can interact with the medication.
This not only makes your health worse but also affects your body’s own ability to recover. This is why you should never pair alcohol with antidepressants, no matter which one you’re currently taking.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle by eating good food and staying active can significantly help you recover from the side effects caused by your antidepressant.
Your body’s own strength is the key to enhancing the positive effects of the medication while making you strong against the negative effects. So make sure you pay enough attention to your health and do everything you can to make your body and immunity stronger.
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References
1.-
Doerr JP, Spiegelhalder K, Petzold F, Feige B, Hirscher V, Kaufmann R, Riemann D, Voderholzer U. Impact of escitalopram on nocturnal sleep, day-time sleepiness and performance compared to amitriptyline: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in healthy male subjects. Pharmacopsychiatry. 2010 Jul;43(5):166-73. doi: 10.1055/s-0030-1249049. Epub 2010 Jul 5. PMID: 20603788. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20603788/
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